我国淡水鱼类柱形病病原菌柱状黄杆菌的遗传多样性

为认识我国淡水鱼类烂鳃病的病原以及柱形病在我国的发生情况,实验从发生烂鳃病的病鱼中分离细菌性病原,经过生理生化特性分析以及是否在含托普霉素的Shieh培养基中生长并形成黄色假根状菌落,是否产生降解明胶和硫酸软骨素的酶类等特性的鉴定,并结合16SrDNA序列分析,证实柱状黄杆菌(Flavobacterium columnare)是所分离的烂鳃病的病原。同时,研究也证实20世纪曾经命名为烂鳃(Gill-rot)病病原的鱼害黏球菌(Myxococcus piscicola Lu,Nie & Ko,1975)是柱状黄杆菌的同物异名。利用分离到的16株柱状黄杆菌的16SrDNA序列,以及已经发表的柱状黄杆菌的相关序列,构建了系统发育树,发现柱状黄杆菌的菌株聚成3枝,与柱状黄杆菌的三种基因组型(Genomovar)相对应。其中当时命名为鱼害黏球菌的强毒株G4与分别分离自日本和美国的两株聚为一枝。另外两枝包括的菌株较多,它们中的一些菌株来源于相同的鱼类宿主,如鲤形目的种类;但是,这两枝也包括一些特有的株,如从欧洲和美国的鲑形目鱼类上分离的柱状黄杆菌聚为一枝,这一枝还包括我国曾经命名为鱼害黏球菌的G18弱毒株。从我国隶属于鲈形目的鳜鱼和鲟形目的中华鲟上分离到的柱状黄杆菌则聚为另外一枝。作者认为对不同基因组型菌株的致病性和致病机理的研究将可能从根本上认识鱼类柱形病的流行规律。       

Genome sequence of the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare ATCC 49512

Flavobacterium columnare is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, and highly prevalent fish pathogen causing columnaris disease in freshwater fish worldwide. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of F. columnare strain ATCC 49512.     

Isolation and characterization of Flavobacterium columnare (Bernardet et al. 2002) from four tropical fish species in Brazil

Flavobacterium columnare is the causative agent of columnaris disease in freshwater fish, implicated in skin and gill disease, often causing high mortality. The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of Flavobacterium columnare in tropical fish in Brazil. Piracanjuba (Brycon orbignyanus), pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and cascudo (Hypostomus plecostomus) were examined for external lesions showing signs of colunmaris disease such as greyish white spots, especially on the head, dorsal part and caudal fin of the fish. The sampling comprised 50 samples representing four different fish species selected for study. Samples for culture were obtained by skin and kidney scrapes with a sterile cotton swabs of columnaris disease fish and streaked onto Carlson and Pacha (1968) artificial culture medium (broth and solid) which were used for isolation. The strains in the liquid medium were Gram negative, long, filamentous, exhibited flexing movements (gliding motility), contained a large number of long slender bacteria and gathered into columns'. Strains on the agar produced yellow-pale colonies, rather small, flat that had rhizoid edges. A total of four Flavobacterium columnare were isolated: 01 Brycon orbignyanus strain, 01 Piaractus mesopotamicus strain, 01 Colossoma macropomum strain, and 01 Hypostomus plecostomus strain. Biochemical characterization, with its absorption of Congo red dye, production of flexirubin-type pigments, H2S production and reduction of nitrates proved that the isolate could be classified as Flavobacterium columnare.     

Rapid detection of columnaris disease in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) with a new species-specific 16-S rRNA gene-based PCR primer for Flavobacterium columnare

A 16-S rRNA gene from the chromosomal DNA of the fish-pathogenic bacterium Flavobacterium columnare (formerly Flexibacter columnaris), strain ARS-I, was cloned, sequenced and used to design a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer set. The primer set amplified a specific 1193-bp DNA fragment from F. columnare strains but not from related bacteria, F. psychrophilum, F. aquatile, F. branchiophilum, or other bacterial pathogens of fish, Flexibacter maritimus, Cytophaga johnsonae, Edwardsiella ictaluri, E. tarda, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Streptococcus iniae or from the non-fish pathogen Escherichia coli. The PCR reaction conditions were optimized to permit detection of the organism from agar plates, broth culture, frozen samples, dead fish tissue, and live fish in less than 5 h (8 h, if the more sensitive nested PCR is used). DNA was extracted by a boiled-extraction method or by commercial column purification. The PCR product was detected at DNA concentrations below 0.1 ng and from as few as 100 bacterial cells. Nested PCR using universal eubacterial primers increased the sensitivity five-fold, allowing detection of F. columnare strains at DNA concentrations below 0.05 ng and from as few as 10 bacterial cells in apparently healthy, asymptomatic fish. The efficiency of this primer set was compared to the 16-S rRNA gene primer sets of Toyama et al. [Fish Pathol. 29 (1994) 271.] and that of Bader and Shotts [J. Aquat. Anim. Health 10 (1998) 311.]. The new primer set is as good or better than the previously published primer sets for detecting F. columnare in all samples and under all conditions tested.     

Effect of Pseudomonas sp. MT5 baths on Flavobacterium columnare infection of rainbow trout and on microbial diversity on fish skin and gills

Use of Pseudomonas sp. strain MT5 to prevent and treat Flavobacterium columnare infection was studied in 2 experiments with fingerling rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. In the first experiment, length heterogeneity analysis of PCR-amplified DNA fragments (LH-PCR) was used to assess the effect of antagonistic baths on the microbial diversity of healthy and experimentally infected fish. In the 148 samples studied, no difference was found between bathed and unbathed fish, and 3 fragment lengths were detected most frequently: 500 (in 75.7% of the samples), 523 (62.2%) and 517 bp (40.5%). The species contributing to these fragment sizes were Pseudomonas sp., Rhodococcus sp. and F. columnare, respectively. A specific PCR for detection of Pseudomonas sp. MT5 was designed, but none of the tissue samples were found to be positive, most likely indicating poor adhesion of the strain during bathing. LH-PCR was found to be a more powerful tool for detecting F. columnare in fish tissue than traditional culture methods (chi2 = 3.9, df = 1, p < 0.05). Antagonistic baths had no effect on the outbreak of infection or on fish mortality. F. columnare was also detected in healthy fish prior to and after experimental infection, indicating that these fish were carriers of the disease. In the second experiment, intensive Pseudomonas sp. MT5 antagonistic baths were given daily to rainbow trout suffering from a natural columnaris infection. Again, the antagonistic bacteria had no effect on fish mortality, which reached 95 % in both control and antagonist-treated groups in 7 d.     

Catfish hybrid Ictalurus punctatus × I. furcatus exhibits higher resistance to columnaris disease than the parental species

We present experimental data on susceptibility to columnaris disease, caused by the bacterium Flavobacterium columnare, in hybrid catfish (female channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus × male blue catfish I. furcatus) (C×B). Under our experimental conditions, C×B hybrids were significantly more resistant to columnaris disease caused by the highly virulent strain of F. columnare BGFS-27 (genomovar II) than channel catfish and blue catfish. Channel and blue catfish cumulative mortalities after immersion challenge were 74 and 87%, respectively, whereas mortality in the C×B hybrid was 31%. Susceptibility to the strain ARS-1 (genomovar I) was lower among all catfishes, although channel catfish was the least resistant species at 32% cumulative mortality. By contrast, C×B hybrid and blue catfishes were strongly resistant to the ARS-1 strain, with <10% mortality. Our data suggest enhanced disease resistance of the C×B hybrid to columnaris disease.     

Adhesion dynamics of Flavobacterium columnare to channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus and zebrafish Danio rerio after immersion challenge

The adhesion dynamics of Flavobacterium columnare to fish tissues were evaluated in vivo by immersion challenge followed by bacterial plate count and confirmatory observations of gill-adhered bacterial cells using scanning electron microscopy. Adhesion of F. columnare genomovar I (ARS-1) and II (BGFS-27) strains to skin and gill of channel catfish Ictalurus punctactus and gill of zebrafish Danio rerio was compared. At 0.5 h post-challenge, both strains adhered to gill of channel catfish at comparable levels (10(6) colony forming units [CFU] g(-1)), but significant differences in adhesion were found later in the time course. Channel catfish was able to effectively reduce ARS-1 cells on gill, whereas BGFS-27 persisted in gill beyond the first 24 h post-challenge. No significant difference was found between both strains when adhered to skin, but adhered cell numbers were lower (10(3) CFU g(-1)) than those found in gill and were not detectable at 6 h post-challenge. Adhesion of BGFS-27 cells to gill of zebrafish also occurred at high numbers (> 10(6) CFU g(-1)), while only < 10(2) CFU g(-1) of ARS-1 cells were detected in this fish. The results of the present study show that particular strains of F. columnare exhibit different levels of specificity to their fish hosts and that adhesion to fish tissues is not sufficient to cause columnaris disease.     

Passive immunization of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus with anti-Flavobacterium columnare sera

Passive immunization of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) was conducted to determine if anti-Flavobacterium columnare serum was protective when injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) into channel catfish. The anti-F. columnare serum was produced by actively immunizing (i.p. injection) channel catfish with sonicated whole cells or purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of F. columnare in Freund's adjuvant. Serum anti-F. columnare activity was verified by Western blotting and ELISA of serum. Normal serum and sterile culture broth were used as controls. Complement was inactivated in all sera by heating. After 48 h, passively immunized fish were challenged with virulent F. columnare by i.p. injection. A group of unchallenged fish served as controls. The immune response of catfish to the antigenic fractions was different when examined by Western blotting. Antibody produced with whole-cell antigen responded to a broad range of molecular weight components, while LPS antigens were restricted to a pair of bands near 20 kDa. Control fish injected with culture medium experienced 100% mortality 14 d post-challenge. Relative percent survival was 77 and 73 for catfish passively immunized with anti-LPS and anti-whole-cell serum, respectively. Results suggest that antibodies in the serum are involved in the protective immune response against columnaris disease in channel catfish.     

Immunofluorescent test for simultaneous detection of Edwardsiella ictaluri and Flavobacterium columnare

Enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC) and columnaris disease are 2 bacterial diseases significantly affecting the aquaculture industry, and thus rapid diagnosis of disease is imperative for making judicious management decisions. A rapid indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test with antibody conjugated fluorochromes having 2 different spectral properties (Alexa Fluor 488-emitting green fluorescence, and Alexa Fluor 594-emitting red fluorescence) was compared with bacteriological culture (accepted standard) for simultaneous detection of Edwardsiella ictaluri (EI) and Flavobacterium columnare (FC) in 3 groups of experimentally infected channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque), and a fourth group that acquired an aquarium-infection with F. columnare. A total of 303 samples (derived from kidney, brain and nares) from 101 fish were concurrently examined by both tests. Fish in the 3 experimentally infected groups (I to III) were culture positive for the bacteria with which they were infected, and fish in Group IV, (the spontaneously infected fish) revealed F. columnare only. The IFA test compared favorably in sensitivity (EI= 80.7 %; FC = 87.2%) and specificity (EI = 83.9%; FC = 88.9%) with the standard bacteriological culture. The positive predictive value (EI = 96.2% Group I, 90.8% Group II, 93.7% Groups I and II combined; FC = 95.2% Group II, 95.3% Groups II, III and IV combined) was high, while the negative predictive value (EI = 66.7% Group I, 31.3% Group II, 59.5% Groups I and II combined; FC = 73.7% Group II, 72.7% Groups II, III and IV combined) was relatively low. The IFA test will serve as an efficient tool for rapid simultaneous detection of E. ictaluri and F. columnare in outbreaks of disease.     

Treatment of columnaris disease of rainbow trout: low pH and salt as possible tools?

The impact of salt and low pH on columnaris disease of fish was studied. Survival of Flavobacterium columnare after exposure to either 4% NaCl (pH 7.2) or pH 5.0, pH 4.86 or pH 4.6 for 15 min or 1 h was studied in vitro. All conditions significantly reduced the numbers of viable bacterial cells. The effects of salt (4 and 2%) and acidic baths (pH 4.6) were studied in 2 experiments in vivo with rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss infected with F. columnare. Both salt and acidic baths failed to prevent fish mortality; the overall mortality reached 100% in all groups. However, according to survival analysis, the mortality rate was lower in fish treated with 4% salt baths compared to a control group. The buffering capacity of fish skin mucus against low water pH was also studied. Fish skin mucus was an efficient buffer against decreased water pH and the pH of the skin could be remarkably higher than that of the mucus. This may explain the failure of bath treatments to prevent mortality providing that attached F. columnare are located below the mucus surface. We suggest, however, that salt and acidic bath treatments can be used to disinfect water containing F. columnare cells shed by infected fish and thus prevent the transmission of the disease.     

Susceptibility of zebra fish Danio rerio to infection by Flavobacterium columnare and F. johnsoniae

Flavobacterium columnare is a serious pathogen in a wide range of fish species. F. johnsoniae is an opportunistic pathogen of certain fish. Both are gliding bacteria. These species were tested for their ability to infect the zebra fish Danio rerio. Both injection and bath infection methods were tested. The results indicate that F. johnsoniae is not an effective pathogen in D. rerio, but that F. columnare is an effective pathogen. F. johnsoniae did not cause increased death rates following bath infection, but did cause increased death rates following injection, with an LD50 (mean lethal dose) of approximately 3 x 10(10) cfu (colony-forming units). Non-motile mutants of F. johnsoniae produced a similar LD50. F. columnare caused increased death rates following both injection and bath infections. There was considerable strain variation in LD50, with the most lethal strain tested producing an LD50 of 3.2 x 10(6) cfu injected and 1.1 x 10(6) cfu ml(-1) in bath experiments, including skin damage. The LD50 of F. columnare in zebra fish without skin damage was > 1 x 10(8), indicating an important effect of skin damage.     

Molecular diversity and growth features of Flavobacterium columnare strains isolated in Finland

Columnaris disease caused by Flavobacterium columnare is a problem in fish farming worldwide. During the last 15 yr, outbreaks have started to emerge in Finland. Flavobacterium columnare Type Strain NCIMB 2248T and 30 Finnish F. columnare isolates were studied using analysis of 16S rDNA by restriction-fragment length polymorphism (16S RFLP), length heterogeneity analysis of polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) products, automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. All isolates fell into RFLP Genomovar I and had the same length in the LH-PCR analysis. Based on ARISA, 8 genetically different strains were selected for further analyses. The growth of these strains under different temperatures, NaCl concentrations, and pH values was tested. The Finnish F. columnare strains did not grow at NaCl concentrations >0.1% or at pH values < or = 6.5, and they were susceptible to several antimicrobial agents, but not to Polymyxin B or neomycin. These findings may aid in development of methods for disease management at fish farms.     

Use of suppressive subtractive hybridization to identify Flavobacterium columnare DNA sequences not shared with Flavobacterium johnsoniae

Aims:  To identify specific sequences in the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare not shared by Flavobacterium johnsoniae .
Methods and Results:  Suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to selectively amplify and clone F. columnare -specific sequences. A highly virulent strain of F. columnare was used as tester and the type strain of F. johnsoniae was used as driver. After library construction, 192 clones were selected and sequenced. From those, 110 clones contained unique F. columnare -specific sequences that were verified using dot blot hybridization. Sequence sizes ranged from 55 to 872 bp with 45 363 bp sequenced in total.
Conclusions:  Specific F. columnare sequences representing all but one (motility related) functional categories were annotated. Several putative virulence factors were identified in F. columnare such as a collagenase, a chondroitinase, proteases, as well as drug resistance and iron transport-related genes.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Suppressive subtractive hybridization is a cost-effective method for identifying genetic differences between Flavobacterium spp. The number of sequences available from F. columnare has been doubled.     

A link between ectoparasite infection and susceptibility to bacterial disease in rainbow trout

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, were infected concomitantly with Argulus coregoni and Flavobacterium columnare and their survival was compared with that of fish infected with either the parasite or the bacterium alone. The mortality of fish challenged with A. coregoni was negligible while infection with F. columnare alone led to significantly lower survival. However, compared with single infections, the mortality was significantly higher and the onset of disease condition was earlier among fish, which were concomitantly infected by A. coregoni and F. columnare. This data presents, for the first time, experimental support for the hypothesis that an ectoparasite infection increases susceptibility of fish to a bacterial pathogen.     

Sensitive and rapid detection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus by a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method

AIMS: To evaluate the loop-mediated isothermal amplification method (LAMP) for rapid detection of Flavobacterium columnare and determine the suitability of LAMP for rapid diagnosis of columnaris infection in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. METHODS AND RESULTS: A set of four primers, two outer and two inner, were designed specifically to recognize 16S ribosomal RNA gene of this pathogen. Bacterial genomic DNA templates were prepared by hot lysis in a lysis buffer. Amplification of the specific gene segments was carried out at 65 degrees C for 1 h. The amplified gene products were analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis and detected by staining gels with ethidium bromide. A PCR assay was also included in this study. Our results demonstrate that the ladder-like pattern of bands from 204 bp specific to the Fl. columnare 16S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified. The detection limit of the LAMP assay was comparable to that of PCR in prepared genomic DNA reactions. In addition, this optimized LAMP assay was able to detect the Fl. columnare 16S ribosomal RNA gene in experimentally infected channel catfish. CONCLUSIONS: The LAMP assay for Fl. columnare detection in channel catfish was established. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Because LAMP assay is a rapid, sensitive, specific, simple and cost-effective assay for Fl. columnare detection in channel catfish, it is useful for rapid diagnosis of Fl. columnare in fish hatcheries and the field.     

The efficacy of two immunostimulants against Flavobacterium columnare infection in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Bacterium Flavobacterium columnare is the causative agent of columnaris disease in many wild and farmed fish species. Immunostimulants are used with success in aquaculture against many pathogens, but the ability to improve innate resistance to columnaris disease has not been studied. Fingerling rainbow trout were treated with two immunostimulants, yeast β-glucan and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB). Selected innate immune function parameters, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by whole blood and by isolated head kidney leukocytes, plasma lysozyme activity and complement bacteriolytic activity, were determined to assess the immune status of fish. The fish were then bath challenged with virulent F. columnare bacteria, and the mortality of fish was recorded. Given orally both stimulants raised the levels of immune function parameters, but did not improve survival in challenge at any concentration of the stimulants used. Intra peritoneal injection of β-glucan increased parameter values several fold, but no beneficial effect of injected glucan on survival was noted. As a control, antibiotic medication administered prior to and during the challenge infection prevented the mortality. Innate immune mechanisms, even when induced to high levels with immunostimulants, as evidenced here, were not able to increase resistance against F. columnare. This may be connected to the external character of the infection. The results from the treatments with β-glucan and HMB suggest that there is little prospect of preventing columnaris disease by means of immunostimulants in early life stage of rainbow trout. However, the efficacy of other immune stimulants remains open.     

Mass mortality associated with koi herpesvirus in wild common carp in Canada

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) was identified as being associated with more than one mortality event affecting common carp in Canada. The first was an extensive mortality event that occurred in 2007 in the Kawartha Lakes region, Ontario, affecting Lakes Scugog and Pigeon. Fish had branchial necrosis and hepatic vasculitis with an equivocal interstitial nephritis. Several fish also had branchial columnaris. Subsequent mortality events occurred in 2008 in additional bodies of water in south-central Ontario, such as Lake Katchewanooka and outside of Ontario in Lake Manitoba, Manitoba. Koi herpesvirus was detected in fish submitted for examination from all of these lakes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequence of the PCR product revealed 100% homology to KHV strains U and I. Real-time PCR analysis of KHV-infected wild carp revealed viral loads ranging from 6.02×10(1) to 2.4×10(6) copies μg(-1) host DNA. This is the first report of KHV in Canada.     

草鱼的一种急性细菌性传染病病原的分离鉴定及致病性研究

草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)的细菌性疾病是草鱼人工养殖过程中经常出现的疾病。文章对河南一草鱼养殖场2009年8月出现的暴发性细菌性传染病进行了研究。该渔场饲养的草鱼成鱼和鱼苗出现了体表溃烂、局部出血, 肠系膜充血、出血, 腹腔积水等症状, 并大量死亡。从濒死草鱼的内脏中分离到3株细菌, 经形态学、生理生化特性及16S rDNA序列分析, 鉴定为霍乱弧菌(Vibrio cholerae)、嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)和柱状黄杆菌(Flavobacterium columnare)。其中, 从患病鱼苗体内分离到霍乱弧菌; 从成鱼分离到嗜水气单胞菌和柱状黄杆菌。回归试验证明3株细菌均能使草鱼致死, 其中霍乱弧菌和嗜水气单胞菌对草鱼的半数致死量(LD50)分别是0.15104 cfu/g和0.96103 cfu/g。从草鱼中分离到致病性霍乱弧菌是首次报道。药敏试验表明, 在所试的17种抗生素中, 霍乱弧菌仅对利福平、左旋氧氟沙星、链霉素、奥复星、庆大霉素等5种抗生素敏感; 嗜水气单胞菌仅对菌必治、奥复星、庆大霉素等3种抗生素敏感; 而柱状黄杆菌则对其中的氨苄青霉素、利福平、左旋氧氟沙星等10种抗生素均敏感。       

黄颡鱼肠道病原拮抗性芽孢杆菌的筛选与特性研究

采用80℃水浴法从黄颡鱼肠道分离到65 株芽孢杆菌, 牛津杯法拮抗试验筛选到3 株抑菌活性很强的菌株, API 50CHB 试剂盒鉴定它们为枯草芽孢杆菌。选取抑菌活性最强的F14 进行特性研究。结果显示: F14在80℃、90℃和沸水浴中处理5min 后的存活率分别为96.7%、95.3%、52.9%。随时间的延长, F14 在90℃和沸水浴中的存活率均出现了较大幅度的下降。沸水浴处理10min 时, 其存活率减少至8.3%。在pH 3.0—5.0的范围内, 处理F14 1h、2h 后的存活率分别在98%、87%以上。F14 代谢粗提物具有较强的抑菌作用, 病原性嗜水气单胞菌在粗提物中培养2h, 细菌数量就开始急剧下降, 至 24h 时已检测不到活的细菌。此外, 喷洒在饲料中的F14 在室温、4℃和?20℃条件下储存, 细菌数量在4℃和?20℃存储20d 均无显著变化, 仅在室温下存储至第20 天时显著减少。研究表明, F14 抗菌谱较广, 抑菌作用强, 耐高温和酸性环境, 在饲料中稳定性好, 具有作为水产益生菌应用的潜力。