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Use of Enrofloxacin to Control Atypical Aeromonas salmonicida in Atlantic Tomcod
Author(s) -
Williams P. J.,
Courtenay S. C.,
Vardy C.
Publication year - 1997
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(1997)009<0216:uoetca>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - enrofloxacin , aeromonas salmonicida , biology , antimicrobial , aeromonas , antibiotics , fish <actinopterygii> , veterinary medicine , fishery , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , medicine , ciprofloxacin , genetics
The antimicrobial enrofloxacin was tested for its ability to control atypical Aeromonas salmonicida in Atlantic tomcod ( Microgadus tomcod ). An initial experiment showed that a single injection of enrofloxacin, at a dosage of approximately 5 mg active ingredient per kilogram of fish, prevented the formation of characteristic furunculosis lesions but did not significantly reduce mortality during a 76‐d period. In a second experiment, in which we administered the antimicrobial at days 1, 10, and 45, treated fish experienced significantly lower mortality than did the control fish. Three of 10 necropsied fish treated with enrofloxacin produced positive cultures of atypical A. salmonicida , whereas the pathogen was successfully cultured from 7 of 10 control fish. Cultures were obtained from skin lesions or from infected areas of buccal or caudal regions. Sixteen of 50 (32%) fish from the enrofloxacin treatment died during the experiment, and 30% of the dead fish displayed circular lesions on the trunk. In the control group, 48 of 50 fish (96%) died during the experiment, and 78% of the dead fish had lesions on the trunk. In both treatment and control groups, dead fish without lesions on the trunk had either badly eroded tails or infected mouths. We feel that enrofloxacin holds promise for short‐term control of atypical A. salmonicida in nonsalmonids.