Performing Department
Microbiology
Non Technical Summary
Aeromonas hydrophyla is found in fresh and brakish waters worldwide. It causes Motile Aeromonad Septicemia in catfish and scaly fish. This disease has two forms, cutaneous form causing cutaneous ulcers and focal hemorages and sytemic form causing abdominal distention, enlarged internal organs with hemrages and necrosis. Mortality rate up to 50% in adult fish and up to 100% in fryes and fingerlings. Infected animals stop feeding this make administration of drugs through feed less effective.This project is intended to describe Aeromonads isolates circulating in blach belt counties natural waters and lakes in relation to virulence characters and antibiotic sensitivity pattern to antibiotics used or can be used to treat fish diseases. This information is very important for fish farmers and aquaculture extention officials. It will help in adopting an effective disease prevention plan and antibiotic treatment strategy.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
20%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
1- To investigate presence of disease causing pathogens with special interest on Aeromonas hydrophyla in relation to level of seasonality contamination.2- Detected Aeromonas isolates will be investigated for virulence characters.3- Detected isolates will undergo antibiotic resistance study for antibiotic used to treat infection of this pathogens in aquaculture.4- Molecular characterization of virulence characters genes and antibiotic resistance genes for detected isolates will be investigated.
Project Methods
1- Conventional culture isolation of Aeromonas hydrophyla from Alabama natural lakes and waters2- Apply antibiotic sensitivity tests for detected wild isolates3- Multi-resistant isolates undergo molecular investigation for characterization of resistance genes