Attachment of Vibrio pathogens to cells of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Abstract. The attachment of Vibrio pathogens to cells of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), was studied by use of species-specific monoclonal antibodies and indirect FITC- immunofluorescence microscopy. Vibrio anguillarum, V. ordalii and V. parahaemolyticus attached to cultured cells of rainbow trout gonads, various tissues of cryostat sections of whole fish, and smears of gills, intestine, buccal mucosa and skin. The attachment was inhibited by prior incubation of bacteria with monoclonal antibodies at titres of 1:32, or less. Other Vibrio pathogens used in this study did not attach to any trout cells. The research provides approaches to study the mechanisms of bacterial attachment in the onset of Vibrio infections.