ARS | Publication request: EPIZOOTIC OF STREPTOCOCCUS AGALACTIAE IN WILD MULLET, LIZA KLUNZINGERI (DAY) IN KUWAIT

Submitted to: Annual Meeting World Aquaculture Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 27, 2003
Publication Date: May 19, 2003
Citation: EVANS, J.J., KLESIUS, P.H., GLIBERT, P.M., SHOEMAKER, C.A., AL-SARAWI, M.A., LANDSBERG, J.H., DUREMDEZ, R., AL MARZOK, A., AL ZENKI, S. EPIZOOTIC OF STREPTOCOCCUS AGALACTIAE IN WILD MULLET, LIZA KLUNZINGERI (DAY) IN KUWAIT. ANNUAL MEETING WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY. 2003.

Technical Abstract: Catalase negative, ß hemolytic Gram positive cocci, and serogroup B isolates from both cultured seabream and wild mullet were identified as Streptococcus agalactiae. Nile tilapia, Oreochromis nioticus L experimentally inoculated with these isolates demonstrated that the S. agalactiae was the bacterial pathogen responsible for the epizootic. Antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed that the S. agalactiae isolates were resistant to gentamicin and sensitive to amoxcillin, ciprofloxacin, rifampin, choramphenicol, romet, and ampicillin. Environmental conditions are suspected of being contributory factors in predisposing the fish to infection. Among the environmental stress factors noted were low DO, high temperature, and elevated nutrient concentrations. We hypothesized that stress weakened the resistance of these fish against S. agalactiae. We did detect a carrier state in the cultured seabream. The determination of the fish species responsible for disease transfer was not determined. However, we observed uninfected mullet aggregated around dead and dying mullet as well as dead mullet around the net pens of the cultured seabream.