Isolation of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae from the giant grouper, Epinephelus lanceolatus

Abstract

A giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) that was reared for public exhibition in a private commercial aquarium in Seoul, Korea, was recently found dead. The fish had evidenced symptoms including anorexia, lethargy, and depression persisting for two weeks. A bacterial pathogen from fish organs (kidney, liver, spleen) was cultured, identified and confirmed as Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae, using a Vitek System 2, API 20E test, multiplex PCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In this paper, we have described the isolation and identification of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae from a giant grouper reared in a private aquarium in Korea. 서울 소재 수족관에서 관상용으로 사육되었던 giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) 한 마리가 폐사된 채 발견되었다. 폐사어는 2주간 식욕부진, 무기력 및 침울의 증상을 보였다. 폐사어의 장기 (신장, 간 및 비장)로부터 세균을 순수 분리하여 Vitek System 2, API 20E test, multiplex PCR 및 16S rRNA gene sequencing을 수행하여 Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae로 확진하였다. 본 증례에서, 우리는 국내 수족관에서 사육되었던 giant grouper에서의 Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae의 분리 및 특성을 보고하고자 한다.