title: Presence and interaction of inflammatory cells in the spleen of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L., infected with Francisella noatunensis.
abstract: Serious infectious diseases, accompanied by macrophage-dominated chronic inflammation, are common in farmed Atlantic cod. To increase knowledge relating to morphological aspects of such inflammatory responses, cod were challenged with Francisella noatunensis, an important bacterial pathogen of this fish species. Tissue and cell dynamics in the spleen were examined sequentially over 60 days. Small clusters of mainly macrophage-like cells (MLCs) staining for non-specific esterase and acid phosphatase developed with time. These foci were transiently infiltrated by pleomorphic proliferating cells of unknown nature and by granulocyte-like cells (GCLCs) staining for peroxidase and lysozyme. The latter cell type, which appeared to be resident in the red pulp of control fish, migrated into the inflammatory foci of infected fish. Cells expressing genes encoding IFN-γ and IL-8 increased in number during the study period. Bacteria were detected only in the MLCs and their number increased despite the extensive inflammation. Our results demonstrate an intimate spatial relationship in inflammatory foci between at least three cell types. The presence of GCLCs, together with MLCs, suggests pyogranulomatous inflammation as a more appropriate descriptive term than granulomatous inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway. mona.gjessing@vetinst.no
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gjessing
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inami
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Weli
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ellingsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Koppang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kvellestad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000662:veterinary; D005603:Francisella; D048389:Gadus morhua; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000662:veterinary; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8; D007371:Interferon-gamma