ARS | Publication request: A MODIFIED LIVE VACCINE AGAINST FLAVOBACTERIUM COLUMNARE

Submitted to: Aquaculture Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 16, 2004
Publication Date: March 1, 2004
Citation: SHOEMAKER, C.A., KLESIUS, P.H., EVANS, J.J. A MODIFIED LIVE VACCINE AGAINST FLAVOBACTERIUM COLUMNARE. AQUACULTURE 2004 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. 2004.

Technical Abstract: Flavobacterium columnare is one of the two most important pathogens in the cultured channel catfish industry in the U.S.A. Columnaris disease is probably responsible for $30-40 million in annual losses to catfish producers. Development of a successful vaccine against F. columnare required the vaccine to be safe and easily administered to young fish. We developed a modified F. columnare isolate that was attenuated and did not cause disease in susceptible fish. In vivo reversion to virulence studies (10 X back-passage studies) demonstrated the vaccine to be safe. Preliminary efficacy data showed the modified live F. columnare vaccine to be effective in 3-month-old channel catfish (relative percent survival [RPS] = 69.2%). Further efficacy studies were conducted in younger channel catfish. Efficacy at 48 days post hatch (DPH) was seen with a RPS of 96.4% for the low dose (1 X 106 CFU/ml) and a RPS of 87.3% for the higher dose (5 X 106 CFU/ml). Efficacy trials also showed the modified live F. columnare vaccine to be effective in 7-10 DPH channel catfish with RPS values ranging from 71-86% depending on vaccine dose. The modified live F. columnare vaccine is administered by bath immersion to 7-10 day old catfish fry for 15 minutes.