84
Characteristics of the Pathogen
Pathogenicity
Pathogenicity was not confi rmed in laboratory-based infectivity experiments.
Disease Control
Erythromycin was used successfully to control disease (Chong et al. 2015 ).
Renibacterium salmoninarum
Characteristics of the Disease
Bacterial kidney disease (BKD, Dee disease, corynebacterial kidney disease, salmonid kidney disease) was described initially in 1930 for a condition in Atlantic
salmon ( Salmo salar) found in the Rivers Dee and Spey in Scotland (Mackie et al.
1930 ; Smith 1964 ). Histological examination of fi xed material revealed the presence of large numbers of Gram-positive rods in lesions. In 1935, a disease was
reported in the USA, where it occurred in hatchery reared brown trout ( Salmo
trutta ), rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) and brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis)
(Belding and Merrill 1935 ). Additional evidence indicated the presence of BKD in
chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon ( O. kisutch) and sockeye salmon ( O. nerka) (Rucker et al. 1951 ). Since then, the disease has been reported
to occur in 13 species of salmonids in Canada, Chile (especially during transfer of
chinook salmon from fresh to seawater; Uribe et al. 1995 ), England, France,
Germany, Iceland, Italy, Spain, U.S.A. and Yugoslavia (see Fryer and Sanders 1981 ;
Hoffman et al. 1984 ; Uribe et al. 1995 ; Loch et al. 2012 ). During 1997, BKD was
demonstrated for the fi rst time in Denmark (Lorenzen et al. 1997 ). Workers have
highlighted the presence of the disease in farmed salmonid stocks but less often has
it been found in wild fi sh populations (Rucker et al. 1951 , 1953 ; Smith 1964 ; Pippy
Box 3.1: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
The isolates from kidney were Gram-positive pleomorphic to curved rods that
produced H 2 S, but not did not produce catalase or oxidase. Glucose, lactose
and maltose were fermented, blood (α-and ß-haemolysis) was attacked, but
not gelatin or urea. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to link the
organism with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (Chong et al. 2015 ).
3 Aerobic Gram-Positive Rods and Cocci
Characteristics of the Pathogen
Pathogenicity
Pathogenicity was not confi rmed in laboratory-based infectivity experiments.
Disease Control
Erythromycin was used successfully to control disease (Chong et al. 2015 ).
Renibacterium salmoninarum
Characteristics of the Disease
Bacterial kidney disease (BKD, Dee disease, corynebacterial kidney disease, salmonid kidney disease) was described initially in 1930 for a condition in Atlantic
salmon ( Salmo salar) found in the Rivers Dee and Spey in Scotland (Mackie et al.
1930 ; Smith 1964 ). Histological examination of fi xed material revealed the presence of large numbers of Gram-positive rods in lesions. In 1935, a disease was
reported in the USA, where it occurred in hatchery reared brown trout ( Salmo
trutta ), rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) and brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis)
(Belding and Merrill 1935 ). Additional evidence indicated the presence of BKD in
chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon ( O. kisutch) and sockeye salmon ( O. nerka) (Rucker et al. 1951 ). Since then, the disease has been reported
to occur in 13 species of salmonids in Canada, Chile (especially during transfer of
chinook salmon from fresh to seawater; Uribe et al. 1995 ), England, France,
Germany, Iceland, Italy, Spain, U.S.A. and Yugoslavia (see Fryer and Sanders 1981 ;
Hoffman et al. 1984 ; Uribe et al. 1995 ; Loch et al. 2012 ). During 1997, BKD was
demonstrated for the fi rst time in Denmark (Lorenzen et al. 1997 ). Workers have
highlighted the presence of the disease in farmed salmonid stocks but less often has
it been found in wild fi sh populations (Rucker et al. 1951 , 1953 ; Smith 1964 ; Pippy
Box 3.1: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
The isolates from kidney were Gram-positive pleomorphic to curved rods that
produced H 2 S, but not did not produce catalase or oxidase. Glucose, lactose
and maltose were fermented, blood (α-and ß-haemolysis) was attacked, but
not gelatin or urea. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to link the
organism with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (Chong et al. 2015 ).
3 Aerobic Gram-Positive Rods and Cocci