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Phenotypic and genetic diversity of coexisting Listonella anguillarum , Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio chagassi recovered from skin haemorrhages of diseased sand smelt, Atherina boyeri , in the Gulf of Trieste (NE Adriatic Sea)
Author(s) -
Fabbro C.,
Celussi M.,
Russell H.,
Del Negro P.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2011.03188.x
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , biovar , vibrio , zoology , 16s ribosomal rna , turbot , bacteria , genetics , fishery , fish <actinopterygii>
Aims: This study identified and characterized coexisting Vibrios associated with haemorrhagic skin lesion bearing sand smelt fishes ( Atherina boyeri ) in north‐eastern Adriatic Sea. Methods and Results: Bacteria were isolated from external skin lesions of four samples, and representative morphotypes grown on thiosulfate–citrate–bile salt–sucrose agar were isolated. In total 25 isolates, presumptively assigned to Vibrio genus, were biochemically characterized and were grouped in 10 phenotypic profiles. Phenotypes were heterogeneously distributed among the diseased sand smelt analysed; only one phenotype was recovered from all the samples. Sequencing of 16S rRNA was performed to identify representatives of all phenotypes. Phylogenetic analysis using the neighbour‐joining method revealed six isolates clustered within the Vibrio harveyi group, three clustered with known Vibrio chagasii strains and three clustered with Listonella anguillarum . Conclusions: Vibrios with a broad phenotypic variability were found in the external lesions of diseased A. boyeri . In total three species of Vibrio were identified: V. harveyi showed the wider phenotypical and ribotypical heterogeneity while L. anguillarum shared similar biochemical characteristics with typical strains. Significance and Impact of the study: Previously unreported coexistence of potential pathogenic species colonizing diseased A. boyeri has ecological as well as epidemiological significance.