Experimental Pseudomonas anguilliseptica infection in turbot Psetta maxima (L.): a histopathological and immunohistochemical study

• Published in: European Journal of Histochemistry
• Main Authors: GE Magi, S Lopez-Romalde, B Magariños, J Lamas, AE Toranzo, JL Romalde
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2009
• Subjects: Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Turbot
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2009.e9; https://doaj.org/article/f54f0ca9cf04471ba2d2977f4b2be930

Experimental infection with Pseudomonas anguilliseptica was performed both by intraperitoneal (i.p.) and bath route on juvenile turbot (Psetta maxima) in order to evaluate the pathology induced. Turbot was found to be sensitive to i.p. challenge (1.7x106 CFU/fish) but no to bath exposure. The i.p. challenge induced septicaemic infection and mortality. Externally, moribund fish showed distended abdomen and pale areas at day 9. The gross pathological internal signs present were abundant ascitic fluid in the peritoneal cavity, pale and enlarged spleen, pale and friable liver, and congestive and dilated gut with yellowish exudates. On histopathological examination, bacterial invasion was common in all the tissues studied but the most prominent pathological changes were observed in gut, spleen and kidney after 7 day with features of necrosis. The immunohistochemical findings support the widespread localization of the bacteria after the i.p. injection since the P. anguilliseptica was detected in spleen from day 1 post injection, in liver, kidney and gut from day 4, in muscle from day 7 and in brain from day 9. The difficulties in infecting healthy fish by bath challenge can be explained by the opportunistic nature of this pathogen.