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Characteristics of Serum Antibody in Enteric Septicemia of Catfish
Author(s) -
Klesius Phillip H.,
Sealey Wendy M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of aquatic animal health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1548-8667
pISSN - 0899-7659
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8667(1995)007<0205:cosaie>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - catfish , edwardsiella ictaluri , antibody , biology , ictalurus , immune system , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery
The Falcon Assay Screen Test enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the characteristics of antibody directed against Edwardsiella ictaluri exoantigen and the antibody's relationship to E. ictaluri in channel catfish suffering from enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC). This antibody was detected in the serum of channel catfish 5 d after fish were exposed to live E. ictaluri by bath immersion. A significant (P < 0.05) specific antibody response was stimulated between 14 and 21 d postexposure (DPE) which then declined at 28 DPE. Mortality resulting from E. ictaluri first occurred at 5 DPE and peaked at 21 DPE. Following reexposure, the specific memory antibody response peaked at 21 DPE, but at a level lower than that of the primary infection, and declined at 84 DPE. The reexposed catfish were protected against mortality resulting from E. ictaluri infection. Serum and antibody harvested from channel catfish protected against ESC‐related mortality failed to passively immunize channel catfish against ESC. However, the channel catfish passively immunized with immune serum and antibody had significant (P < 0.05) circulating specific antibody immediately before E. ictaluri exposure. We conclude that channel catfish infected with E. ictaluri mount substantial primary and memory antibody responses to E. ictaluri exoantigen. The present results suggest that reexposure fails to stimulate a memory antibody response that was greater than the primary antibody response to E. ictaluri exoantigen. Antibodies to E. ictaluri exoantigen alone were not protective in the channel catfish experimental model of ESC.