Ultrastructure of red-sore lesions on largemouth bass (micropterus salmoides): association of the ciliate epistylis sp. and the bacterium aeromonas hydrophila

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978 · J. Protozool.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5060811

Hazen, T C; Raker, M L; Esch, G W; Fliermans, C B

Epizootic outbreaks of red-sore disease in several reservoirs in the southeastern United States have been reported to cause heavy mortality among several species of fish having sport and commercial value. The etiologic agent is said to be the peritrich ciliate Epistylis sp.; secondary infection by the gram-negative bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila produces hemorrhagic septicemia which results in death. However, in recent studies on the largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, Epistylis sp. could be isolated from only 35% of 114 lesions from 114 fish, while A. hydrophila was found in 96% of the same lesions. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy of lesions associated with red-sore disease indicate that neither the stalk nor the attachment structure of Epistylis sp. have organelles capable of producing lytic enzymes. Since other investigators have shown that A. hydrophila produces strong lytic toxins, and in absence of evidence to the contrary, it is concluded that Epistylis sp. is a benign ectocommensal and that A. hydrophila is the primary etiologic agent of red-sore disease.

• Research Organization: Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, NC
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-S-09-0900; EY-76-C-09-0819
• OSTI ID: 5060811
• Journal Information: J. Protozool.; (United States), Vol. 25:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FISHES
INFECTIVITY
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
ETIOLOGY
PATHOLOGY
ABSCESSES
AEROMONAS
ENZYMES
HEMORRHAGE
PATHOGENS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BACTERIA
DISEASES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
INFLAMMATION
MICROORGANISMS
MICROSCOPY
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
SYMPTOMS
VERTEBRATES
550900* - Pathology
550700 - Microbiology