Specific serum antibody responses in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) provide limited protection against Streptococcus ictaluri challenge.

Passive immunization studies were conducted to determine the role of specific antibodies in immunity to Streptococcus ictaluri. Adult channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were injected i.p.

Efficacy of a modified live Flavobacterium columnare vaccine in fish.

Flavobacterium columnare is an aquatic bacterium that is responsible for columnaris disease. This aquatic pathogen has a worldwide distribution and is highly infectious to both warm and cold water fish. A modified live F.

A commercial rapid optical immunoassay detects Streptococcus agalactiae from aquatic cultures and clinical specimens.

The BioStar STREP B Optical ImmunoAssay (STREP B OIA) (BioStar OIA Strep B Assay Kit; BioStar Incorporation, Louisville, CO, USA), commonly used for diagnosis of human maternal group B streptococcus (GBS) colonization, was evaluated for its diagnostic and analytical sensitivity and specificity to aquatic animal GBS isolates, cross-reactivity, and diagnosis and recovery of GBS directly from clinically- infected fish swabs. STREP B OIA identified 25 known fish and dolphin GBS isolates. Thirteen non-GBS negative control isolates from fish and other animals were negative, giving 100% analytical specificity and no cross-reactivity.

Pathogenicity of Streptococcus ictaluri to channel catfish.

The pathogenicity of a Streptococcus ictaluri isolate in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus at the fry (0.5 g), fingerling (15 g), and juvenile (55 g) stages was determined by experimental bath immersion and injection experiments. Channel catfish were exposed in 1-L immersion baths containing 10(8), 10(9), 10(10), 10(11) or 10(12) colony-forming units (cfu) of S.

Human Streptococcus agalactiae isolate in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Streptococcus agalactiae, the Lancefield group B streptococcus (GBS) long recognized as a mammalian pathogen, is an emerging concern with regard to fish. We show that a GBS serotype Ia multilocus sequence type ST-7 isolate from a clinical case of human neonatal meningitis caused disease and death in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Phylogenetic relationships among Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from piscine, dolphin, bovine and human sources: a dolphin and piscine lineage associated with a fish epidemic in Kuwait is also associated with human neonatal infections in Japan.

Streptococcus agalactiae, commonly known as group B streptococcus (GBS), is a cause of infectious disease in numerous animal species. This study examined the genetic relatedness of piscine, dolphin and human GBS isolates and bovine GBS reference strains from different geographical regions using serological and molecular serotyping and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) techniques. Piscine isolates originating from Kuwait, Brazil, Israel and the USA were capsular serotype Ia, a serotype previously unreported in GBS isolated from fish.

Flavobacterium columnare chemotaxis to channel catfish mucus.

Flavobacterium columnare is a Gram-negative pathogen of many species of wild and cultured fish. Isolates from diseased channel catfish belong to either genomovar I or II. Genomovar II isolates were found to be more virulent than genomovar I isolates.

The macrophage chemotactic activity of Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus iniae extracellular products (ECP).

The ability of Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus iniae to attract macrophages of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was investigated. The extracellular products (ECP) from S. agalactiae and S.

First report of Streptococcus agalactiae and Lactococcus garvieae from a wild bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

The isolation and characterization of two bacterial species, Streptococcus agalactiae and Lactococcus garvieae, previously unreported in wild marine mammals are described from a freshly dead bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, from Kuwait Bay, Kuwait, in September 2001. Conventional and rapid identification systems were used to determine that isolates from muscle and kidney were S. agalactiae and L.

Immunization of eyed channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, eggs with monovalent Flavobacterium columnare vaccine and bivalent F. columnare and Edwardsiella ictaluri vaccine.

The efficacy of a modified live monovalent Flavobacterium columnare vaccine and bivalent F. columnare and Edwardsiella ictaluri vaccines were evaluated following immersion vaccination of eyed channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) eggs. The modified live F.

Passive immunization of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) provides significant protection against Streptococcus agalactiae.

A study was conducted to determine the role of specific antibodies in immunity to Streptococcus agalactiae. Adult Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were injected i.p.

Duration of protective antibodies and correlation with survival in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus following Streptococcus agalactiae vaccination.

Streptococcus agalactiae is a major piscine pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality among numerous species of freshwater, estuarine and marine fishes. Considering the economic importance of fishes susceptible to S. agalactiae throughout the world, an efficacious S.

A vaccination and challenge model using calcein marked fish.

A vaccination and challenge cohabitation model was established and evaluated using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), the fluorescent chromophore calcein, and a Streptococcus iniae vaccine. Tilapia were non-invasively calcein marked, sham-vaccinated (CMSV) and cohabited with non-marked sham-vaccinated (NMSV) or non-marked S. iniae vaccinates (NMV) as a single unit.

Warmwater fish vaccinology in catfish production.

The ability of the fish industry to provide a continuous supply of fish protein depends on both proper biosecurity and strategies to significantly reduce the risk of infectious diseases. Vaccination is a safe and effective means to prevent disease and to increase the productivity and profitability of farmed fish. Vaccines are likely to be the prime prophylactic measure of the future because of rapidly developing advances in fish vaccine technology and producer acceptance.

Efficacy of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B) vaccine in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by intraperitoneal and bath immersion administration.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a Streptococcus agalactiae vaccine in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) for prevention of streptococcal disease. The vaccine was prepared from formalin-killed cells and concentrated extracellular products (greater than 3 kDa) of a single isolate of S. agalactiae (ARS-KU-MU-11B).

Isolation, Purification, and Molecular Weight Determination of Serum Immunoglobulin from Gulf Menhaden: Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to Assess Serum Immunoglobulin Concentrations from Atlantic Menhaden.

An immunoglobulin M (IgM)-like immunoglobulin was isolated by polyethylene glycol precipitation from pooled serum collected from healthy gulf menhaden Brevoortia patronus. The immunoglobulin (Ig) was purified by Sephacryl-400 gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of unreduced, purified Ig was determined to be 850 kilodaltons (kD) by high-performance liquid chromatography.