Experimental infection by Vibrio anguillarum in mice and guinea pigs

The fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum causes a lethal infection in farmed fi sh characterized by hemorrhagic septicemia. There are no reports of experim ental laboratory infections in warm-blooded animals. We investigated the ef fects of an intraperitoneal infection with different doses of a V. anguilla rum suspension in mice and guinea pigs. The infection caused a 95-100% of m ortality in 24-48 h. Hemorrhagic septicemia was observed at necropsy and co nfirmed by histological and hematological examination. Immunohistochemicall y positive bacterial clumps were detected exclusively in vessel lumen in al l examined organs, including brain, and V. anguillarum was reisolated in pu re culture from all organs, particularly from the kidney. Blood analysis sh owed erythropenia and leukopenia with granulocytosis in mice, platelet redu ction and leukopenia with lymphocytosis in guinea pigs.