J Vet Sci. 2004 Dec; 5(4): 387-390   
 

Experimental evaluation of pathogenicity of Lactococcus garvieae in black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli)

Sung-hyun Kang1, Gee-wook Shin1, Yong-seung Shin1, Palaksha K. J.1, Young-rim Kim1, Hyang-hee Yang1, Eun-young Lee1, Eung-goo Lee1, Nam-eung Huh1, Oh Myung Ju2, Tae-sung Jung1,*.
 

1Institute of Animal Medicine and College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Korea. jungts@gsnu.ac.kr
2Department of Fish Pathology, Yosu National University, Yosu 550-747, Korea.
 

Black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) is an important mariculture species in Korea. The production of this fish is drastically declined due to bacterial diseases, particularly streptococcosis caused by Lactococcus garvieae. The bacterial surface characteristics of SJ7 and TY6 were found to have capsule but not NB13 and YS18. The experiential evaluation of L. garvieae pathogenicity, the capsular isolates showed high cumulative mortality i.e. SJ7 (100%) and TY6 (60%) compared to non-capsular isolates. Based on this result the capsular isolates L. garvieae were highly suspected as the causative agent of streptococcosis in rockfish.