Isolation of a new serovar of Vibrio vulnificus pathogenic for eels cultured in freshwater farms

Abstract

The present work reports the isolation of a new serovar of Vibrio vulnificus pathogenic for eels cultured in freshwater farms. This serovar, named Serovar A, produced two outbreaks of low morbidity and mortality in one Spanish eel farm in September 2000 and March 2001. The vibriosis affected healthy eels, weighting between 10 and 100 g, that had been vaccinated against the serovar E of the species (formerly biotype 2) at least 6 months before. Some of the diseased eels showed symptoms different to those reported for the classical vibriosis due to serovar E. These symptoms included bleeding ventral ulcers together with haemorrhagic intestine. Bath experimental challenges demonstrated that (i) the new serovar reproduced the classical symptoms of vibriosis in nonvaccinated eels and (ii) vaccinated eels were partially protected against the new serovar.