Isolation of Enterobacter agglomerans from dolphin fish, Coryphaena hippurus L

The bacterium isolated from the kidney of dolphin fish, Coryphaena hippurus was, in nearly all the characteristics which have been investigated so far, identical with biogroup 1 of anaerogenic E. agglomerans described in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology (Krieg & Holt 1984). It differed from the reference strains only in the fermentation of beta -gentiobiose and D-arabitol. STF001 fermented beta -gentiobiose but not D-arabitol, while the reference strains fermented D-arabitol but not beta -gentiobiose. The citrate test with the API 20B and 20E was not consistent with the conventional Simmon's test. API 20E and API 50CH gave different results with respect to acid production from amygdaline, melibiose and inositol. Otherwise there was a good consistency in the results obtained with the different test systems. Results from the antibiotic-susceptibility testing are presented. It is premature to speculate on the origin and pathogenic ability of the strain of E. agglomerans isolated from mahi-mahi, but the very presence of this bacterium may indicate a potential problem in mariculture of this fish.