RENIBACTERIUM-SALMONINARUM, THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF BACTERIAL KIDNEY-DISEASE IN SALMONID FISH, DETECTED BY NESTED REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION PCR OF 16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA SEQUENCES

An assay based on reverse transcription and nested PCR amplification o f hypervariable regions within the 16S rRNA sequence was used to speci fically detect Renibacterium salmoninarum, the slowly growing causativ e agent of bacterial kidney disease in salmonid fish. This assay detec ted 1 to 10 bacteria per sample and took 1 to 2 days to perform. The a ssay was used to detect R. salmoninarum in ovarian fluid obtained from naturally infected fish. The assay was unreliable when it was used to examine kidney tissue.