Comparison by Plasmid Profiling ofVibrio salmonicidaStrains Isolated from Diseased Fish from Different North European and Canadian Coastal Areas of the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Strains of Vibrio salmonicida from four different geographical areas, Norway, the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, and eastern Canada, with coastlines bordering the North Atlantic, were subjected to plasmid DNA profiling after morphological, physiological, and serological classification. The strains of V. salmonicida from all these areas had common plasmid profiles, with the three plasmids of 21, 3.4, and 2.8 MDa as the most prevalent. The country of origin did not seem to be related to differences among the strains. Plasmid DNA profiling differentiates V. salmonicida isolates originating from different coastal areas of the North Atlantic into the same set of subgroups.