Identification, characterization and antibiotic sensitivity of aeromonas hydrophila, a causative agent of epizootic ulcerative syndrome in wild and farmed fish from potohar, Pakistan

A total of 82 samples of fish (80 from fish farm; 2 from river) infected with epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) were collected. Identification and characterization of isolates was done by biochemical tests, fermentation of sugars and analytical profile index (API 20NE). A total of 60 bacterial isolates were confirmed as Aeromonas hydrophila, a causative agent of EUS in cultured fish species of Potohar region, Pakistan. None of bacterial species was recovered from disease wild (river) fish. All isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol (100%) and partly sensitive to norfloxacin (55.0%), streptomycin (90.0%), gentamycin (60.0%), erythromycin (33.3%) and tetracycline (66.7%). Moreover, all isolates showed resistance (100%) to amoxicillin, penicillin and novobiocin. It is concluded that A. hydrophila was the causative agent of EUS in fish farms of Potohar region, Pakistan and strains of A. hydrophila have developed multi-drug resistance against antibiotics.

Duke Scholars

Author Sajid Umar DKU Faculty