Fatal septicemia caused by the zoonotic bacterium Streptococcus iniae during an outbreak in Caribbean reef fish.
An outbreak of Streptococcus iniae occurred in the early months of 2008 among wild reef fish in the waters of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, lasting almost 2 months. Moribund and dead fish were collected for gross, histological, bacteriological, and molecular analysis. Necropsy findings included diffuse fibrinous pericarditis, pale friable livers, and serosal petechiation. Cytological and histological analysis revealed granulocytic and granulomatous inflammation with abundant coccoid bacterial organisms forming long chains. Necrosis, inflammation, and vasculitis were most severe in the pericardium, meninges, liver, kidneys, and gills. Bacterial isolates revealed β-hemolytic, Gram-positive coccoid bacteria identified as S. iniae by amplification and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Results from biochemical and antimicrobial susceptibility analysis, together with repetitive element palindromic polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting, suggest that a single strain was responsible for the outbreak. The inciting cause for this S. iniae-associated cluster of mortalities is unknown.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies Innovative Medicines DSM, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Waltham, MA, USA.
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Keirstead
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies.
J W
JW
Brake
Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Stoneville, MS, USA.
M J
MJ
Griffin
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies.
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Halliday-Simmonds
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies.
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MA
Thrall
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies esoto@rossvet.edu.kn.
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Soto
D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D057894:Coral Reefs; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D019437:Saint Kitts and Nevis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015047:Zoonoses
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Streptococcus iniae; outbreak; reef fish; septicemia; zoonotic