R. Francisfloyd et al., AN EPIZOOTIC OF EDWARDSIELLA-TARDA IN LARGEMOUTH BASS (MICROPTERUS, SALMOIDES), Journal of wildlife diseases, 29(2), 1993, pp. 334-336
Edwardsiella tarda, an opportunistic bacterial pathogen, was isolated
from dying largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) during an epizootic
in a eutrophic lake system, Lochloosa Lake, Florida, USA. Approximate
ly 1,500 adult fish died over a 6-wk period during the late summer and
early fall of 1991. A mixed population of aerobic bacteria (E. tarda,
Aeromonas hydrophila, and Pseudomonas sp.) was isolated from deep cut
aneous ulcers and intestines of moribund bass. However, E. tarda in pu
re culture was the only bacterium isolated f rom several viscera of se
veral fish; E. tarda may be the etiologic agent responsible for some e
pisodes of seasonal mortality in largemouth bass.