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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #383546
Research Project: Enhancing the Production of Hybrid Striped Bass Through Improved Genetics, Nutrition, Production Management, and Fish Health

Location: Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr

Title: Evaluating stress mediated microbial pathogenesis in golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas

Author
item KAIMAL, SINDHU - University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff
item Farmer, Bradley
item RENUKDAS, NILIMA - University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff
item ABDELRAHMAN, HISHAM - Auburn University
item KELLY, ANITA - University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff

Submitted to: Frontiers in Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2022
Publication Date: 5/11/2022
Citation: Kaimal, S., Farmer, B.D., Renukdas, N., Abdelrahman, H.A., Kelly, A.M. 2022. Evaluating stress mediated microbial pathogenesis in golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas. Frontiers in Physiology. 13. Article 886480. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.886480.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.886480

Interpretive Summary: Columnaris is a bacterial disease problem in golden shiners. It negatively impacts baitfish producers profit margins. Some factors increase losses including density and temperature. One possible way to monitor the bacteria is by flow cytometry. In this experiment temperature was shown to be a stronger factor than density. Flow cytometry was also shown to be accurate method to monitor this pathogen.

Technical Abstract: Flavobacterium columnare (columnaris) is a microbial pathogen in golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas), a principal bait species. We investigated the effects of density and water temperature on the survival of fish subjected to a challenge and whether flow cytometry (FCM) could be a fast and reliable method to distinguish and enumerate F. columnare populations from water and fish in experimental tanks. Juvenile golden shiners averaging 2.62 (+/- 0.78) g (negative for F. columnare) were used in simultaneous trials at 22 deg C and 28 deg C in two ultra-low flow-through systems: each consisting of four treatments and five replicates per treatment. Treatments were fish stocked at either 600 fish/m3 or 2400 fish/m3 and either challenged with F. columnare or not; survival was observed for 48 hours after challenge. Samples of water and fish tissue were obtained for FCM enumerations and validation by qPCR. No significant differences in survival were recorded between density treatments; however, high temperature and columnaris challenge treatments showed significantly higher mortality. Bacterial enumeration (number/ml) by FCM highly correlated with bacterial DNA (cfu/ml) r=0.81 (P=0.001) in the water samples. Higher water temperatures may have increased columnaris infections and mortality in golden shiners. FCM is a reliable method of enumerating F. columnare from experimental tank water samples.