Characterization of Vibrio damsela strains isolated from turbot Scophthalmus maximus in Spain

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

During a 3 yr penod several epizootics of vibnos~s In turbot Scophthalmus maximus occurred in different marine farms located in northwestern Spain.Affected fish showed extensive haemorragic areas around the anus, eyes and mouth, as well as a characteristic accumulation of mucus and reddish fluid in the peritonea1 cavity.Strains of Vibrio damsela were isolated from diseased fish, representing, to our knowledge, the first report of this bacterium causing problems in cultured turbot.Isolates were biochemically identical to collection strains isolated from both fish and humans, and exhibited the same pattern of drug-sensitivity.However, antigenic differences occurred among the strains, 4 distinct groups of V. damsela being recognized.These serological results were supported by lipopolysaccharide profiles and the outer-membrane protein patterns exhibited by the bacter~al isolates.In addition, a high molecular weight plasmid band (approx.90 to 100 MDa) was detected in all the turbot isolates and in some of the reference strains.Virulence tests showed that the V. damsela isolates were pathogenic for turbot and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, the LDS0 ranging from 1 x 103 to 5 X lo5 V. darnsela cells per fish.