Author/Editor		Pate, M; Jenčič, V; Žolnir-Dovč, M; Ocepek, M
Title		Detection of mycobacteria in aquarium fish in Slovenia by culture and molecular methods
Type		članek
Source		Dis Aquat Organ
Vol. and No.		Letnik 64
Publication year		2005
Volume		str. 29-35
Language		eng
Abstract		Thirty-five aquarium fish were investigated for the presence of mycobacteria by culture and molecular methods. The following species were examined: goldfish Carassius auratus auratus, guppy Poecilia reticulata, 4 three-spot gourami Trichogaster trichopterus, dwarf gourami Colisa lalia, Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens, freshwater angelfish Pterophyllum sralare, African cichlid fish Cichlidae spp., cichlid fish Microgeop.hagus altispinosus, cichlid fish Pseudotropheus lombardoi, blue streak hap Labidochromis caeruleus, sterlet Acipenserruthenus, southern platyfish Xiphophorusmaculatus, and catfish Corydoras spp. Isolates of mycobacteria were obtained in 29 cases (82.9%). Two specimens were positive using Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, but the cultivation failed. Four specimens were both ZN- and culture-neqative. On the basis of GenoType Mycobacterium assay (Hain Lifescience) and restriction enzyme analysis of the amplified products (PCR-RFLP), 23 isolates (79.3 %) were identified: 7 as Mycobacterium fortuitum, 6 as M. gordonae, 6 as M. marinum, 3 as M. chelonae, and 1 as M. peregrinum. Five isolates remained unidentified (Mycobacteiium spp.). One case probably represented a mixed infection (M. marinum/M. fortuitum). Since M, marinum infections are also detected in humans, the significance of mycobacteria in aquarium fish should not be overlooked.
Descriptors		FISHES MYCOBACTERIUM GENOTYPE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION DNA, SINGLE-STRANDED POLYMORPHISM, RESTRICTION FRAGMENT LENGTH MYCOBACTERIUM, ATYPICAL MYCOBACTERIUM CHELONAE AQUACULTURE