Segregation of three corynosoma spp. (acanthocephala) in paratenic hosts?

Virulent and nonvirulent Flavobacterium columnare colony morphologies: characterization of chondroitin AC lyase activity and adhesion to polystyrene

Aims:  Colony morphology variants of fish pathogenic Flavobacterium columnare were studied to clarify the role of colony morphology change in the virulence of the bacterium. Typical rhizoid colony (Rz) variants are virulent and moderately adherent, nonrhizoid rough (R) colony variants are nonvirulent and highly adherent, and soft colony (S) variants are nonvirulent and poorly adherent. Methods and Results:  Chondroitin AC lyase activity, adhesion to polystyrene at different temperatures and after modification of bacterial surface, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) profiles of the variants were studied. The chondroitinase activity was significantly higher in the virulent, rhizoid variants than in…

Antibody synthesis in roach (Rutilus rutilus); analysis of antibody secreting cells in lymphoid organs with ELISPOT-assay

The roach (Rutilus rutilus L.) which is a cyprinid fish, was immunised with bovine γ-globulin (BGG) and the antibody synthesis was studied by counting the number of specific antibody secreting cells (SASC) in the spleen and anterior kidney, and by measuring the antibody concentration in the circulation. SASCs and the total number of immunoglobulin secreting cells (TISC) were counted with the ELISPOT (enzyme-linked immunospot) assay, and anti-BGG antibodies and the concentration of immunoglobulin in sera were assayed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The present modification of the ELISPOT-assay takes advantage of biotin-avidin amplification and yields easily detectable and nonfa…