Agglutinating Antibody to Aeromonas hydrophila in Wild Largemouth Bass

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Among largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in Par Pond, South Carolina, a significantly larger percentage of those with red‐sore disease were positive for anti‐Aeromonas hydrophila agglutinin than of uninfected fish. Highest titers occurred during summer and fall, when the prevalence of the disease was declining. Most agglutinin activity was associated with a single serum fraction; the agglutinin has an apparent molecular weight of >340,000 daltons, suggesting it may be a macroglobulin‐like antibody. Homologous agglutinin reacted better with A. hydrophila than heterologous agglutinin. Differences in severity and duration of red‐sore epizootics in the southeastern United States may be due to differing virulence among strains of A. hydrophila.