Time effect of experimental infection on Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by immersion with Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida

Furunculosis caused by Aeromonas salmonicida subsp salmonicida (Ass) is a medically and economically important bacterial disease in salmonid farms that requires therapeutic measures to prevent and control the disease. Evaluation of the effectiveness of traditional measures such as antibiotics or vaccines usually requires infecting fish experimentally. The objective of this study is to develop a method of infectious challenge of large (250-g) Rainbow trout by immersion close to natural infection conditions. We compare mortality, morbidity and anti-Ass antibody production of Rainbow trout following different bathing times (2, 4, 8 and 24 h) at a final bacterial concentration of 106 CFU/mL. One hundred sixty fish divided in five groups corresponding to the 4 bathing times and the non-challenged group were studied. The 24 h contact duration resulted in the infection of all fish, with a mortality rate of 53.25%. The challenged fish developed acute infection with symptoms and lesions (inappetance, altering of swimming behaviour, presence of boils) similar to those observed in furunculosis, and produced antibodies against the bacterium at 4 weeks after challenging, in contrast with the non-challenged group. •the method mimics an acute infection with Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida.•an immersion in 106 CFU/mL during 24 h is required to infect Rainbow trouts weighing 250 g.•production of antibodies against Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida is observed 4 weeks after the challenge.