ABSTRACT: Isolates of Flavobacterium psychrophilum (formerly Cytophaga psychrophila and Flexibacter psychrophilus) mainly originating from clinical outbreaks of either coldwater disease (CWD) or rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS) were studied for selected biochemical, physiological, morphological and genomic characteristics, and compared with previously characterized French and American strains. DNA hybridization studies showed that the Danish isolates were highly related to the type strain, F. psychrophilum NCIMB 1947^T. Plasmid profiling of Danish isolates and those from other European countries revealed differences, which might be related to differences in pathogenicity. European isolates originating from clinical outbreaks of either RTFS or CWD usually harboured one plasmid of 3.2 kb, whereas isolates originating from fish with different or no disease signs had other profiles. Phenotypically, the Danish isolates appeared very homogeneous and shared most characteristics with the type strain, and with French and American strains studied by other authors. Further studies on the importance of the plasmids and the proteolytic activities of the bacterium might help in elucidating possible virulence factors.

KEY WORDS: Flavobacterium psychrophilum · Coldwater disease · Rainbow trout fry syndrome · Phenotype · Haemagglutination · DNA-DNA hybridization · Plasmids

Published in DAO Vol. 31, No. 3 (1997) on December 30
ISSN: 0177-5103. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1997