A novel 'skinny pot-belly' disease in Asian seabass fry, Lates calcarifer (Bloch)

Citation

Gibson-Kueh S, Crumlish M & Ferguson H (2004) A novel 'skinny pot-belly' disease in Asian seabass fry, Lates calcarifer (Bloch). Journal of Fish Diseases, 27 (12), pp. 731-735. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2761.2004.00594.x

Abstract
In Singapore, viral nervous necrosis (VNN) is considered to be the most serious disease of farmed Asian seabass fry, Lates calcarifer (Bloch) (barramundi), causing mortalities of 80-100% and heavy economic loss (Lim, Chong & Kueh 1997; Kasornchandra 2002). When some ‘skinny pot-bellied' seabass fry were presented to the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory early in 2004, with a history that the disease was usually first observed at around 3 weeks of age, VNN was the prime suspect. Instead of central nervous lesions, however (Munday, Langdon, Hyatt & Humphrey 1992), histopathological examination showed the presence of a severe necrotizing and ulcerative enteritis, progressing to perforation and peritonitis, with disseminated multifocal granulomas. Associated with these lesions were numerous bacterial colonies. This preliminary report presents a description of this novel systemic bacterial disease of young seabass, typified by emaciation and abdominal distension, and associated with high mortality. Immunohistochemistry suggests an association with Edwardsiella ictaluri.

Keywords
barramundi; Edwardsiella; enteritis; pathology; perforation; seabass

Journal
Journal of Fish Diseases: Volume 27, Issue 12

People

Professor Margaret Crumlish

Professor, Institute of Aquaculture

Professor Hugh Ferguson

Emeritus Professor, Institute of Aquaculture