Effect of temperature on the development of pasteurellosis in carrier gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

In the present paper we study the effect of water temperature on the develo pment of pasteurellosis in 60-day-old gilthead seabream larvae obtained fro m asymptomatic carrier broodstock. Fish were exposed to different temperatu res and mortalities were recorded over a period of 5 weeks. Mortalities wer e very low when larvae were kept, at 15 degreesC, increased considerably af ter the temperature was raised to 18 degreesC or 20 degreesC, and decreased again when the temperature was lowered to 15 degreesC. These results sugge st that larvae obtained from asymptomatic carrier broodstock are also carri ers and can develop pasteurellosis by increasing the water temperature. How ever, it is possible to control the disease by maintaining larvae at low te mperatures. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.