Phenotypic and molecular characterisation of fish-borne Flavobacterium johnsoniae-like isolates from aquaculture systems in South Africa

Fish infections caused by pathogenic Flavobacterium species are a major problem in the aquaculture industry worldwide, often leading to large economic losses. Thirty-two Flavobacterium spp. isolates, obtained from various diseased fish species and biofilm growth, were characterised genetically using 16S rDNA PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR, repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) element PCR, plasmid profiling, whole cell protein (WCP) and outer membrane protein (OMP) analyses. Although the Flavobacterium spp. isolates displayed a high degree of genetic heterogeneity when differentiated by RAPD-PCR, REP-PCR and OMP fingerprinting techniques, isolates appeared very homogeneous by plasmid profiling and WCP analysis. No specific correlation was observed between the RAPD, REP and/or OMP profiles and fish host, site of isolation, geographic location or date of isolation of the Flavobacterium spp. isolates. Experimental infection of tilapia fish revealed variable levels of virulence and pathogenicity by isolates following handling stress and could not be linked to specific molecular types. This is the first reported isolation and characterisation of Flavobacterium johnsoniae-like spp. isolated from diseased fish in Southern Africa.