Vibrio spp. disinfection and immunization of Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) for the prevention of disease in aquaculture facilities

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a tropical marine fish, with increasing commercial aquaculture importance worldwide. One of the major limitations to intensive aquaculture is disease. Diseases spread rapidly in an aquatic environment and pose a major threat to the development and introduction of new species, such as cobia, in aquaculture. This is due to the necessity to use wild caught broodstock, which pose a greater threat to introducing disease to a facility. Bacteria of the genus Vibrio play a major role in the diseases of cultured cobia and other species of marine fish. The goal of this study is to reduce the incidence of disease in a population, by either eliminating the potential pathogen or increasing the resistance of the host. To reach that goal, a disinfection assay to evaluate the effectiveness of nine common aquaculture chemical disinfecting compounds was evaluated against two bacterial pathogens (Vibrio anguillarum and V. ordalii). Both bacterial species were susceptible to a variety of common disinfecting compounds including Chloramine-T®, chlorine, ethanol, iodine, Lysol®, Roccal®-D Plus, and Virkon-S®. In addition, both species showed a resistance to disinfection with formalin and tap water. The humoral immune response of cobia to vaccination with a commercially-available vaccine for Vibrio spp. was evaluated by an ELISA. There was a significant difference between control and vaccinated groups (P<0.0001), showing significant antibody production resulting from vaccination.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Veterinary Medical Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Veterinary Medical Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Machen, John Wesley

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Smith, Stephen A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Flick, George J. Jr.
• Pierson, Frank William

• Rachycentron canadum
• Cobia
• Striped Bass
• Morone
• Vibrio
• disinfection
• disease
• immunity
• vaccination

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-06052008-100915

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33431