Occurrence and phenotypic characterization of Yersinia ruckeri strains with biofilm-forming capacity in a rainbow trout farm

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2002 Feb;68(2):470-5. doi: 10.1128/AEM.68.2.470-475.2002.

Abstract

The presence of Yersinia ruckeri in a French fish farm was investigated. Y. ruckeri was isolated mainly from algae and sediment samples rather than from water. Twenty-two Y. ruckeri isolates were obtained, and three strains were distinguished by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR amplification. These strains were able to adhere to solid supports. This characteristic was correlated with flagellum-mediated motility. Killing experiments showed that sessile cells were more resistant to oxolinic acid than their planktonic counterparts. Our results demonstrate that surface colonization of fish farm tanks by Y. ruckeri biofilms is a potential source of recurrent infection for extended periods of time.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Adhesion
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Biofilms / growth & development*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • DNA Fingerprinting / methods
  • Eukaryota / microbiology*
  • Fish Diseases / microbiology
  • Fisheries*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oncorhynchus mykiss*
  • Phenotype
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Water Microbiology*
  • Yersinia / classification*
  • Yersinia / genetics
  • Yersinia / growth & development
  • Yersinia / isolation & purification
  • Yersinia Infections / microbiology
  • Yersinia Infections / veterinary

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins