Streptococcus suis is a lethal pathogen in snakeskin gourami,
Trichopodus pectoralis
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the causative agent of an
outbreak with clinical signs similar to those of piscine streptococcosis
in farmed snakeskin gourami ( Trichopodus pectoralis). Initial
microscopic examination revealed the predominance of a Gram-positive,
cocci bacteria in the brain and kidney of the diseased fish. This
bacterium was successfully isolated and identified as
Streptococcus suis based on nucleotide homology of 16S rDNA and
species-specific PCR. This isolate tested negative for serotype 2, one
of the major zoonotic serotypes. Experimental infection was then
performed to investigate the pathogenicity of the bacterium and its
histopathological manifestation. Naïve juvenile and adult snakeskin
gourami were injected intraperitoneally with a low dose (1.2×10
5 CFU/fish) and a high dose (1.2×10
7 CFU/fish) of S. suis. Cumulative mortality
appeared to be dose- and size-dependent. Experimentally diseased fish
exhibited clinical signs consistent with naturally diseased fish. Severe
histopathological changes in multiple organs were observed in both
juvenile and adult fish, including meningitis, severe congestion in the
brain and eyes, thickened stromal layers of the retina, severe hepatic
lipidosis and tissue degeneration. Notably, numerous granulomas
containing massive bacterial cells in the necrotic core were observed in
the infected fish. Relatively pure colonies of S. suis were
recovered from tissues of experimentally diseased fish. Taken together,
this study fulfilled Koch’s postulates, indicating that S. suis
is a new piscine pathogen. Although this is a case report, public
awareness and biosecurity measures should be considered to prevent the
spread of the disease. Further surveillance of the pathogen’s
distribution and research into the underlying causes of fish-host
adaptation will provide insights into the genuine impact and appropriate
disease control strategies.