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Francisella sp. (Family Francisellaceae) causing mortality in Norwegian cod (Gadus morhua) farming

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Abstract

In 2004, a new disease was detected in cod (Gadus morhua) in western Norway. Affected cod had white granulomas in the visceral organs and skin. A species of Francisella was isolated on blood agar plates from moribund cod. The bacterium could be grown at temperatures ranging from 6 to 22°C, but did not grow at 37°C. Challenge experiments showed that Francisella sp. was the cause for the new disease. The 16S rDNA gene sequence from Francisella sp. showed 99.17% similarity to F. philomiragia, and the 16S–23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer (249 nt), shows a similarity with that from Francisella isolated from tilapia and F. tularensis of 96.8 and 35.9%, respectively. The 23S sequence is more similar to F. tularensis, 97.7% (2,862 nt), compared to the tilapia isolate 96.8% (2,131 nt). The partial putative outer membrane protein (FopA) sequence (781 nt) from Francisella sp. shows a similarity with that from F. tularensis and F. philomiragia of 77.3 and 98.2%, respectively. Based on sequence data, culturing temperatures and pathogenicity for cod, it is suggested that this Francisella sp. from cod could be a new species of Francisella, Family Francisellaceae.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Thormohlensgt 55, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Are Nylund, Karl F. Ottem, Kuninori Watanabe & Egil Karlsbakk

  2. Intervet Norbio AS, Thormohlensgt 55, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Bjørn Krossøy

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  1. Are Nylund
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  2. Karl F. Ottem
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  3. Kuninori Watanabe
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  4. Egil Karlsbakk
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  5. Bjørn Krossøy
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Correspondence to Are Nylund.

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Nylund, A., Ottem, K.F., Watanabe, K. et al. Francisella sp. (Family Francisellaceae) causing mortality in Norwegian cod (Gadus morhua) farming. Arch Microbiol 185, 383–392 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-006-0109-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-006-0109-5

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