A QUICK DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO DETECT A DEADLY BACTERIA INFECTING CHANNEL CATFISH

COMMERCIAL CATFISH PRODUCTION IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIRED BY INFECTIOUS DISEASES, A MAJOR CAUSE OF ECONOMIC LOSSES TO THE CATFISH PRODUCER. ONE OF THE MOST DETRIMENTAL OF THESE INFECTIOUS DISEASES IS ENTERIC SEPTICEMIA OF CATFISH (ESC) CAUSED BY EDWARDSIELLA ICTALURI. IN 1987, APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION WORTH OF FISH IN MISSISSIPPI ALONE DIED FROM ESC. PROMPT TREATMENT OF INFECTED FISH INCREASES THE CHANCE OF SUCCESSFUL INFECTION CONTROL AND LOWERS THE MORTALITY RATE. FOR TREATMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE, HOWEVER, EARLY AND ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF ESC IS ESSENTIAL. PRESENTLY, DIAGNOSIS OF ESC TAKES SEVERAL DAYS. NECROPSY AND BACTERIAL ISOLATION FROM FISH TISSUES ARE THE CONVENTIONAL MEANS OF DIAGNOSIS. BACTERIAL CULTURES TAKE 24-48 HOURS TO GROW. SEROLOGIC TESTS TO DETECT E. ICTALURI ANTIBODIES ARE SENSITIVE, BUT TAKE 4-24 HOURS TO COMPLETE AND REQUIRE THE EXPERTISE OF TRAINED LABORATORY TECHNICIANS. A RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF E. ICTALURI WOULD ALLOW FOR IMMEDIATE TREATMENT OF INFECTED CATFISH DECREASING MORTALITY, THEREBY REDUCING ECONOMIC LOSSES TO THE PRODUCER. WE PROPOSE TO PROVIDE FOR SUCH A DIAGNOSIS BY DEVELOPING A RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT CAN BE EASILY PERFORMED ON THE FARM BY UNTRAINED PERSONNEL.