Detection of mycobacteria in ornamental fish in Iran by culture and Ziehl-Neelsen staining methods
Nofouzi, KatayoonSeyfahmadi, MahdiSheikhzadeh, NajmehReza Moaddab, Seyyed
Background: Mycobacterial infections in fish is largely chronic to subacute in nature and affects fishes in fresh water, brackish water and salt water. In addition to their known infectivity to fishes, aquatic mycobacteria pose significant zoonotic concerns. Due to the zoonotic character of the disease, increasing importance of aquariology, and lack of any clinical signs in early steps of mycobacteriosis, present study was undertaken to analyze the distribution of mycobacteria in diseased and apparently healthy ornamental fish from some local aquarium fish shops in four different cities in Iran by culture and Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Materials, Methods & Results: One hundred and one fresh water aquarium fish of 22 species from some local shops in four cities in Iran were examined. Before decontamination, smears of homogenized samples stained with Ziehl-Neelsen. For bacterial culture, samples were inoculated on Lowenstein-Jensen medium. Culture plates were examined daily for four weeks. The rate of growth at different temperature, colony morphology and pigmentation were evaluated for species identification. Among 79 moribund fish examined, 16 individuals were positive for acid fast rods at microscopic examination. Seven fish out of 22 apparently healthy individuals also gave positive microscopic results. Using the culture method, 29 and 10 Mycobacterium isolates were obtained
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