Enteric Redmouth Bacterium of salmonids : a biochemical and serological comparison of selected isolates

• Main Author: O'Leary, Patrick John
• Other Authors: Fryer, J. L.
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Bacterial antigens
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/27975

A comparison of the agglutinating and precipatiating antigens of Enteric Redmouth Bacterium (ERMB) was made. There are two major and one minor agglutinating antigens which describe two serotypes (I and II). Only serotype I metabolizes sorbitol. A bacterin from serotype I cross protected against a challenge of bacteria of serotype II in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), but serotype II could not cross protect from a challenge of serotype I. Two patterns of positive agglutination were observed in a slide agglutination test depending upon the antigenic composition of the bacterium and agglutinating antisera. Incubation temperature altered the motility of ERMB. At 9 C nonfunctional peritrichous flagella were produced. At 18 and 27 C the bacterium was motile. No motility was observed at 37 C due to a complete loss of flagella. The percent quanine plus cytosine for ERMB was found to be 47.95 ± 0.45 (95 percent confidence interval). This work supports the proposal of Yersinia ruckeri as the genus and species designation for ERMB. === Graduation date: 1977