Does heavy oil pollution induce bacterial diseases in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus?

As basic research for the effect of heavy oil on the fish immune system, in this study, the number of leukocyte was counted in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, after exposure to heavy oil at a concentration of 30 g/8 L for 3 days. To compare the numbers of bacteria in the skin mucus between oil-exposed and control fish, viable bacteria were enumerated by counting colony forming unit (CFU). Compared with 5.79 ± 1.88 × 107 leukocytes/mL in the controls, the exposed fish demonstrated higher counts, averaging 1.45 ± 0.45 × 108 cells/mL. The bacterial numbers of control fish were 4.27 ± 3.68 × 104 CFU/g, whereas they were 4.58 ± 1.63 × 105 CFU/g in the exposed fish. The results suggest that immune suppression of the fish occurred due to heavy oil stressor, and bacteria could invade in the mucus, resulting in the increasing leukocyte number to prevent infectious disease.