Enteric Diseases of fish ‫ﻣﻬﻢ ﺟﺪا‬

Item Enteric Red Mouth Edwardsiella ictaluri Empysematous Putrifactive

Synonyms • Yersiniasis
• ERM
• Hagerman Red Mouth
Etiology • Yesinia ruckeri (Y. ruckeri).
• Gram negative short rod
• Motile by peritrichous falgella
• Serotype I “Hagerman strain: Æ
highly virulent : Hagerman red
mouth
• Serotype II “Big Creek strain”: Æ
less virulent than serotype I.
• Serotype III “Australian” strain”
ÆAvirulent
Epizootiology
Host range • Tilapia, eels, mugil, goldfish and carp.
Seasonal incidence and • Temperature increase at the end of
temperature range spring and early summer (20 ºC)
• Severity decrease at water
temperatures below 10ºC
Predisposing factors 1. Sudden rise of temperature at the late
spring and early summer.
2. Overcrowdness
3. Nutritional deficiency especially with
vit c
Septicemia
• Enteric Septicemia of Catfish
(ESC)
• Hole-in-the-Head Disease
• Edwardsiella ictaluri (E. ictaluri)
• Gram negative short rod
• Weakly motile by peritrichous
flagella
• H2S –ve
• Indole -ve
• O/F of glucose -/-
• Cytochrome oxidase negative
• Gelatin liquefaction negative
Catfish, channel catfish
High water temperature above 30-
35 ºC initiates the infection.
4. High water temperature.
5. Overcrowdness
6. High organic debris
7. Nutritional deficiency especially
with vit c
8. Increased copper in water
Disease of Catfish (EPDC)
• Edwardsiella tarda Septicemia
• Red Disease of Eels
• Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda)
• Gram negative short rod
• Motile by peritrichous flagella
• H2S +ve,
• Indole +ve
• O/F of glucose +/+
• Cytochrome oxidase negative
• Gelatin liquefaction negative
Channel catfish, tilapia, carp, goldfish, mullet,
eel, salmon, yellow tail and flounder.
High water temperature above 30 ºC initiates
the infection.
9. High water temperature.
10. Overcrowdness
11. High organic debris
12. Nutritional deficiency especially with vit c
13. Decreased water quality due to increased
copper in water

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Sources of infection 1. Infected fish
2. asymptomatic carrier
Reservoir of infection • Survivors of ERM epizootics become
carriers.
• Regular 36 to 40 days cycle of
intestinal shedding of Yersinia ruckeri
occurs.
• The organism can be recovered from
the GI tract of water rodents
Mode of infection 1. Direct contact
2. Orofecal
Pathogenesis
• Surface antigens of the pathogen
which act locally at the site of infection 1. Bacteria invade the olfactory
(intestine, mouth (Enteric Red
Mouth)…etc.
• Causing endothelia lining of BVs to be
damaged followed by hemorrhages
due to escape of RBCs from the
damaged BVs and exopthalmia,
ascites.
Clinical Signs 1. reddening (hemorrhage) in the mouth, • In Channel catfish: E. ictaluri
1. Contaminated fish feeds
2. Infected fish
3. Infected water and mud
1. Latent infected fish
2. The organism can survive in
the hind gut for a long time
1. Waterborne route--Æ bacteria
invade the olfactory bulb
2. Orofecal route--Æ bacteria
produce septicemia
Waterborne route
organ of the fish through the nasal
opening then migrate into the
olfactory nerve to brain.
2. The infection spread from the
meninges to the skull and skin
leading to the “hole in the head
disease”.
Oral route
• A bacterium ingested and enters
the blood through the intestine
and produces septicemia causing
“enteric septicemia of Catfish”.
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Fecal matters of :
1. Human
2. Snakes, amphibians and turtles
3. Invertebrates (e.g., crayfish)
4. Aquatic birds
E. tarda is a common environmental agent
that can be found worldwide in numerous fish,
amphibian, reptilian and invertebrate species.
1. Horizontal route (skin).
2. Orofecal
3.
1. The microorganism produces ECP
(hemolysin and dermotoxins).
2. Also, the bacteria are surrounded by slim
layer which protect it from the host
defense mechanism and help in the
adhesion to host cells.
Channel catfish:

2. Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis
3. Splenomegaly
4. Yellow discharge from the vent with
vent prolapsed.
5. In chronic infections: the fish are dark,
lethargic, and commonly show
bilateral exophthalmia, which may
progress to rupture of the eye.
6. Peticheal Hhs scattered allover the
skin, muscles, internal organs
Diagnosis
1. Field Diagnosis
a. Case History
b. Clinical Signs
and PM
refuse feed
• Erratic swimming behavior such
as spiral movement (head up- tail
down posture) or spinning
(circling) motion.
• External lesions include
hemorrhage around the mouth, on
lateral and ventral portions of the
body.
• Exophthalmia and small
ulcerations on the body are
additional signs.
• “hole-in-the-head disease” :
Ulceration in the fontanelle of the
frontal bones gives the diseases
its common name, in chronic
cases.
• Peticheal Hs through skin,
muscles, and internal organs
• Red and pale mottling of the liver
due to hemorrhage is common.
• Ascites and enlargement of the
liver, kidney, and spleen are
sometimes observed.
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1. Small cutaneous lesions that progress into
large abscesses 3-5 mm Ø are located
especially in the lateral sides of muscles and
caudal peduncle (posterior-lateral).
2. These abscesses become filled with
malodorous gas and necrotic tissue in chronic
infections.
3. The most common manifestation in catfish
and other species is generalized septicemia.
Tilapia:
1. Loss of pigmentation, ascitis, and corneal
opacity.
2. Small white nodules may be present in the
kidney, liver, spleen, Intestine and gills.
In eels:
1. Suppurative interstitial nephritis form:
Characterized by abscesses in the kidney
2. Suppurative hepatitis form:
Characterized by ulcers and abscesses in
the liver.
3. Peticheal hemorrhages on belly and fins
  

2. Lab Diagnosis 1. From the kidney, spleen, liver in acute 3. From brain in chronic cases 1. from ruptured abscesses in catfish
Sampling cases ‘hole- in-the- head”. 2. white nodules in tilapia and from
2. From GIT content in chronic carriers 4. From kidney and liver in 3. Liver of all species as it is organ of
septicemic enteric cases. choice for isolation.

Isolation Yersinia ruckeri appear yellow green ( 5. E. ictaluri appear light green (0.5- E. tarda colonies appear light green with
0.5 – 1 mm) 1.5 mm) dark (H2S) centers (1.5-2.5 mm),
Differential media
(Shotts and Waltman Incubation temp: 20 - 25 ºC Incubation temp : 30 - 35 ºC Incubation temp: 25 – 30 ºC
medium)

6. Phenotypic and 1. A short, motile, gram-negative rod 1. A short, weakly motile, gram- • A short, motile, gram-negative rod
biochemical 1. Cytochrome oxidase negative negative rod • Cytochrome oxidase negative.
identification 2. O/F glucose into acid but no gas 2. Cytochrome oxidase negative. • Ferment glucose with both acid and gas
3. H2S, esculin and salicin negative. 3. H2S negative and indole test production
4. API 20 E profiles can be used for negative. • TSI (triple sugar iron) reaction should be
further identification of the retrieved 4. API 20 E profiles can be used for alkaline slant and acid butt, with gas and
isolates. further identification of the H2S production.
retrieved isolates. • API 20 E profiles can be used for further
identification of the retrieved isolates.

Serological and • Serological identification: Slide • Serological identification: Slide • Serological identification: Slide
Molecular Identification agglutination, FAT, EIA. agglutination, FAT, EIA. agglutination, FAT, EIA.

• Molecular Identification: PCR. • Molecular Identification: PCR • Molecular Identification: PCR.

Control and Prevention

• Preventive measures:
1. Elimination of stress factors
(sewage pollution……etc)
2. Elimination of wild amphibians and
reptiles
3. Addition of vitamin C in ration at
o Preventive measures:
o Elimination of predisposing factors
• Preventive measures:
4. Elimination of stress factors (sewage
pollution……etc)
5. Elimination of wild amphibians and
reptiles
6. Addition of vitamin C in ration at the

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the rate of 150 mg / Kg food.
• Licensed vaccine:
Is offered commercially in the form of
formalized whole culture vaccine.
• Chemotherapy: nearly the same as
MAS.
Public health significance
rate of 150 mg / Kg food.
o No Licensed vaccines:
No commercial vaccine is available for • Licensed vaccine:
E. ictaluri yet. Is offered commercially in the form of
o Chemotherapy: nearly the same formalized whole culture vaccine.
as MAS. • Chemotherapy: nearly the same as
MAS.
The organism causes gastroenteritis,
diarrhea, generalized septicemia, typhoid-like
illness, septic arthritis, peritonitis, meningitis,
and endocarditic in human.
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