title: Columnaris disease in fish: a review with emphasis on bacterium-host interactions.
abstract: Flavobacterium columnare (F. columnare) is the causative agent of columnaris disease. This bacterium affects both cultured and wild freshwater fish including many susceptible commercially important fish species. F. columnare infections may result in skin lesions, fin erosion and gill necrosis, with a high degree of mortality, leading to severe economic losses. Especially in the last decade, various research groups have performed studies aimed at elucidating the pathogenesis of columnaris disease, leading to significant progress in defining the complex interactions between the organism and its host. Despite these efforts, the pathogenesis of columnaris disease hitherto largely remains unclear, compromising the further development of efficient curative and preventive measures to combat this disease. Besides elaborating on the agent and the disease it causes, this review aims to summarize these pathogenesis data emphasizing the areas meriting further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. andclerc.declercq@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Annelies Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Declercq
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van den Broeck
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bossier
authors.forename: Annemie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decostere
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005399:Fishes; D045826:Flavobacteriaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005417:Flavobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*