IMMUNOCOMPETENCE AND DURATION OF IMMUNITY AGAINST VIBRIO-SALMONICIDA AND AEROMONAS-SALMONICIDA AFTER VACCINATION OF ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO-SALAR L) AT LOW AND HIGH-TEMPERATURES
G. Eggset et al., IMMUNOCOMPETENCE AND DURATION OF IMMUNITY AGAINST VIBRIO-SALMONICIDA AND AEROMONAS-SALMONICIDA AFTER VACCINATION OF ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO-SALAR L) AT LOW AND HIGH-TEMPERATURES, Fish & shellfish immunology, 7(4), 1997, pp. 247-260
The influence of the environmental temperature or, immunocompetence an
d duration of immunity in Atlantic salmon was investigated. Immunity a
nd antibody responses in fish acclimated and reared at 2 and 10 degree
s C were examined 9, 18 and 27 weeks after vaccination with aqueous an
d oil-emulsified vaccines. The results obtained show that both aqueous
and oil-emulsified vaccines gave full protection against Vibrio salmo
nicida independent of the rearing temperature. Vaccination against fur
unculosis served to confirm this result. However, the antibody respons
e was delayed or strongly suppressed by low temperature (2 degrees C).
These results show that immunity can be fully established at temperat
ures shown to be non-permissible for specific antibody responses in At
lantic salmon. Duration of immunity appears to be strongly correlated
to temperature and vaccine formulation. Protection obtained with the a
cueous vaccine was severely reduced by 18 weeks after vaccination in f
ish reared at 10 degrees C. This negative effect of high rearing tempe
rature on the duration of protection was fully prevented by the oil em
ulsification of the vaccine antigens. However, high temperature had no
similar effect on the duration of antibody production. This may indic
ate that duration of antibody production and immunity is not maintaine
d by the same mechanisms. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.