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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161482
Title: DETECTION OF CUTANEOUS ANTIBODIES AGAINST FLAVOBACTERIUM COLUMNARE IN CHANNEL CATFISH

Author
item Shoemaker, Craig
item Xu, Dehai
item Shelby, Richard
item Klesius, Phillip

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2004
Publication Date: 5/24/2004
Citation: Shoemaker, C.A., Xu, D., Shelby, R.A., Klesius, P.H. 2004. Detection of cutaneous antibodies against flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This study was conducted to determine if antibodies against Flavobacterium columnare were present in excised skin explants of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus following experimental infection. Channel catfish were infected by intraperitoneal injection with F. columnare and held for 16, 20 and 32 days post infection to determine the cutaneous antibody response. An indirect ELISA was used to determine cutaneous antibody titers from excised skin explants cultured in vitro. Anti-F. columnare antibodies were detected in the skin explants from intraperitoneally injected channel catfish. Titers at day 16 ranged from 16 to 128 (mean 44 ± 12.5; N=12) from infected fish and were significantly higher (P < 0.003) than non-infected fish (mean 2 ± 0.0; N=12). A second group of fish were immunized by intraperitoneal injection and held for 20 days prior to determining the cutaneous antibody response. The anti-F. columnare titers ranged from 4 to 16 (N=6); with control titers less than 2 (N=6). A third group of fish were injected and boosted by immersion (at day 16); cutaneous antibody titers were determined 32 days post-boost. Titers ranged from 8 to 16 (mean 6.2 ± 1.3; N=10) and were significantly higher (P < 0.04) than titers detected in the control fish (mean 2.0 ± 0.0; N=5). Cutaneous antibodies against fish parasites have been detected and have been shown to have a protective effect. To our knowledge, this is the first description of cutaneous antibodies against F. columnare. Further work is underway to characterize the cutaneous immune response of channel catfish to this important pathogen.