Artificial infection of Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, with FLavobacterium columnare

摘要

A method to induce artificial infection of Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, with Flavobacterium columnare was developed. Prior to the challenge, the eel skin was rubbed with alcohol absorbed cotton, emery paper,'and tooth-brush. For the challenge, the fish were immersed in a suspention of Flavobacterium columnare under different conditions for 15 min. After being rubbed by alcohol absorbed cotton, the fish were infected by immersion challenge at a dose of 1.0 X 10~7 CFU/ml and temperature of 25 deg C. The infected fish showed both epithelial necrosis and dermal necrosis with bacterial invasion at infected part of the skin, which resembled to what appeared in naturally diseased fish.