TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL EASTERN FISH HEALTH WORKSHOP MARCH 10-13, 2000   Infectious Necrotizing Enteritis In Cultured Juvenile Summer Flounder           Marta Gómez-Chiarri1, Eric Gauger1, Bruno Soffientino2, Todd Gwaltney3, David R.Nelson3, Jennifer L. Specker2, Michael Mauel4   1Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science; 2Graduate School of Oceanography; 3Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Genetics and 4Laboratory of Vector Borne Diseases, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI  02881, USA.           An epizootic causing mortality among cultured summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus occurred in summer of 1998 at a land-based facility on Quonset Point, Rhode Island.  The disease, which we have named flounder infectious necrotizing enteritis (FINE), was characterized by reddening around the anal area, distended abdomens filled with opaque serosanguineous fluid, enteritis and necrosis of the posterior intestine.  In severe cases of the disease, the posterior intestine was detached from the anus and was observed coming out the anus.  The intestine of individuals that recovered from the disease ended in a blind-sac.  A bacterium was isolated from ascites fluid and kidney of moribund flounder and identified as the causative agent in challenge experiments.  The pathogen was identified as Vibrio carchariae by morphological and biochemical characteristics and sequence of the 16S rRNA.  The LD50 estimate was 5 x 105 colony-forming units injected intraperitoneally into 100-200 g summer flounder kept at temperatures above 21C.     Return to 25th Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop Return to Leetown Science Center Home Page