Interactions Between Renibacterium salmonarium and Brook Trout (Salvolinus fontinalis) Neutrophils

Abstract

Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD) is a lethal disease in fish of the Salmonid family of fish that is characterized by white lesions on the surface of the infected fish. BKD is caused by Renibacterium salmonarium (Rs). Rs is a gram positive, pathogenic diplobacillus bacteria. Rs are found mostly in the macrophage of salmonid kidneys and are not found in neutrophils. The goal of this experiment was to use transmission electron microscopy to study the presence of Rs within the cells of naturally infected brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) kidneys to see if they are present in neutrophils. The results concluded that Rs were not being phagocytosed by the neutrophils. The macrophage was taking up Rs and they were not being destroyed well in the macrophage.