Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.

Tenacibaculosis is a bacterial ulcerative disease affecting marine fish and represents a major threat to aquaculture worldwide. Its aetiological agents, bacteria belonging to the genus Tenacibaculum, have been present in Norway since at least the late 1980's and lead to regular ulcerative outbr...

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Main Authors: Erwan Lagadec, Sverre Bang Småge, Christiane Trösse, Are Nylund
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259215
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author Erwan Lagadec
Sverre Bang Småge
Christiane Trösse
Are Nylund
author_facet Erwan Lagadec
Sverre Bang Småge
Christiane Trösse
Are Nylund
author_sort Erwan Lagadec
collection DOAJ
description Tenacibaculosis is a bacterial ulcerative disease affecting marine fish and represents a major threat to aquaculture worldwide. Its aetiological agents, bacteria belonging to the genus Tenacibaculum, have been present in Norway since at least the late 1980's and lead to regular ulcerative outbreaks and high mortalities in production of farmed salmonids. Studies have shown the presence of several Tenacibaculum species in Norway and a lack of clonality in outbreak-related strains, thus preventing the development of an effective vaccine. Hence, a thorough examination of the bacterial diversity in farmed fish presenting ulcers and the geographical distribution of the pathogens should provide important insights needed to strengthen preventive actions. In this study, we investigated the diversity of Tenacibaculum strains isolated in 28 outbreaks that occurred in Norwegian fish farms in the period 2017-2020. We found that 95% of the 66 strains isolated and characterized, using an existing MultiLocus Sequence Typing system, have not previously been identified, confirming the high diversity of this genus of bacteria in Norway. Several of these Tenacibaculum species seem to be present within restricted areas (e.g., Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi in western Norway), but phylogenetic analysis reveals that several of the strains responsible of ulcerative outbreaks were isolated from different localities (e.g., ST- 172 isolated from northern to southern parts of Norway) and/or from different hosts. Understanding their reservoirs and transmission pathways could help to address major challenges in connection with prophylactic measures and development of vaccines.
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spelling doaj.art-cdf168d5ebc346db9a2d76598c1aaf132022-12-22T04:04:55ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-011610e025921510.1371/journal.pone.0259215Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.Erwan LagadecSverre Bang SmågeChristiane TrösseAre NylundTenacibaculosis is a bacterial ulcerative disease affecting marine fish and represents a major threat to aquaculture worldwide. Its aetiological agents, bacteria belonging to the genus Tenacibaculum, have been present in Norway since at least the late 1980's and lead to regular ulcerative outbreaks and high mortalities in production of farmed salmonids. Studies have shown the presence of several Tenacibaculum species in Norway and a lack of clonality in outbreak-related strains, thus preventing the development of an effective vaccine. Hence, a thorough examination of the bacterial diversity in farmed fish presenting ulcers and the geographical distribution of the pathogens should provide important insights needed to strengthen preventive actions. In this study, we investigated the diversity of Tenacibaculum strains isolated in 28 outbreaks that occurred in Norwegian fish farms in the period 2017-2020. We found that 95% of the 66 strains isolated and characterized, using an existing MultiLocus Sequence Typing system, have not previously been identified, confirming the high diversity of this genus of bacteria in Norway. Several of these Tenacibaculum species seem to be present within restricted areas (e.g., Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi in western Norway), but phylogenetic analysis reveals that several of the strains responsible of ulcerative outbreaks were isolated from different localities (e.g., ST- 172 isolated from northern to southern parts of Norway) and/or from different hosts. Understanding their reservoirs and transmission pathways could help to address major challenges in connection with prophylactic measures and development of vaccines.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259215
spellingShingle Erwan Lagadec
Sverre Bang Småge
Christiane Trösse
Are Nylund
Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.
PLoS ONE
title Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.
title_full Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.
title_fullStr Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.
title_full_unstemmed Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.
title_short Phylogenetic analyses of Norwegian Tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains.
title_sort phylogenetic analyses of norwegian tenacibaculum strains confirm high bacterial diversity and suggest circulation of ubiquitous virulent strains
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259215
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AT christianetrosse phylogeneticanalysesofnorwegiantenacibaculumstrainsconfirmhighbacterialdiversityandsuggestcirculationofubiquitousvirulentstrains
AT arenylund phylogeneticanalysesofnorwegiantenacibaculumstrainsconfirmhighbacterialdiversityandsuggestcirculationofubiquitousvirulentstrains