Abstract
The Mycobacteriaceae constitute a family of varied Gram-positive organisms that include a large number of pathogenic bacteria. Among these, non-tuberculous mycobacteria are endemic worldwide and have been associated with infections in a large number of organisms, including humans and other mammals and reptiles, as well as fish. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings regarding this group of pathogens in fish. There, four species are most commonly associated with disease outbreaks: Mycobacterium marinum, the most common of these fish mycobacterial pathogens, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium gordonae, and Mycobacterium chelonae. These bacteria have a broad host range: they are zoonotic, and infections have been reported in a large number of fish species. The main route of entry of the bacterium into the fish is through the gastrointestinal route, and the disease is associated with ulcerative dermatitis as well as organomegaly and the development of granulomatous lesions in the internal organs. Mycobacteriaceae are slow-growing and fastidious and isolation is difficult and time consuming and diagnostic is mostly performed using serological and molecular tools. Control of the disease is also difficult: there is currently no effective vaccine and infections react poorly to antibiotherapy. For this reason, more research is needed on the subject of these vexing pathogens.
Highlights
Infections caused by members of the Mycobacterium genus are common throughout the animal kingdom, including in aquatic animals
Considering the number of bacterial species involved, these bacteria vary in their pathogenic potential, ranging from true pathogens (M. marinum, M. ulcerans), opportunistic pathogens (M. chelonae–abscessus complex, M. fortuitum, M. avium complex, M. haemophilum, M. xenopi, M. kansasii and M. simiae) and saprophytes (M. smegmatis, M. vaccae, M. terrae complex and M. gordonae) [33]
M. marinum will grow at 30 ◦C, while others species such as M. shottsii and M. pseudoshottsii will grow at 23 ◦C and not well or at all at 30 ◦C [77]
Summary
Infections caused by members of the Mycobacterium genus are common throughout the animal kingdom, including in aquatic animals. Despite their frequency and prevalence, they have only been the subject of comparatively limited research. The present review, aims at providing an accessible and up to date overview of mycobacteriosis in aquatic organisms (the most recent review, published by Hashish et al, was published in 2018 and focused on Mycobacterium marinum) [1]. We aim at helping with the diagnostic of the disease by making clinical practitioners more aware of its common occurrence, as well as provide a list of up to date methods for its diagnostic. We highlight gaps in our understanding of these infections, and suggest avenues for future research
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