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Blood culture results from healthy captive and free-ranging elasmobranchs.

Authors :
Mylniczenko ND
Harris B
Wilborn RE
Young FA
Source :
Journal of aquatic animal health [J Aquat Anim Health] 2007 Sep; Vol. 19 (3), pp. 159-67.
Publication Year :
2007

Abstract

Blood culture is a diagnostic tool used in confirming bacterial disease in teleostean and elasmobranch fishes. Unlike teleosts, elasmobranchs have a normal microflora in multiple organs, but their blood has generally been considered to be sterile. In regular exams of elasmobranchs conducted at a public aquarium, occasional blood samples have tested positive on culture. This finding prompted a blood culture survey of healthy captive and wild elasmobranchs (sharks and stingrays), which showed that 26.7% of all animals were positive. Stingrays alone showed a 50% occurrence of positive blood cultures, although the total number of animals was low and freshwater species were included in this number. When elasmobranchs other than stingrays were evaluated according to metabolic category, pelagic animals had a higher percentage of positive cultures than nonpelagic animals (38.7% versus 13.9%). These results indicate that a single positive blood culture without other corroborating diagnostics is not sufficient to confirm septicemia in elasmobranchs.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0899-7659
Volume :
19
Issue :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Journal of aquatic animal health
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
18201057
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1577/H06-039.1