Detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the Causative Agent of Bacterial Kidney Disease in Salmonid Fish, from Pen-Cultured Coho Salmon.

The detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum antigen from pen-cultured coho salmon was attempted. Flounder (Limanda herzensteini) (n = 24), greenling (Hexagrammos otakii) (n = 5), Japanese sculpin (Cottus japonicus) (n = 1), and flathead (Platycephalus indicus) (n = 22) captured by fishing around coho salmon net pens were examined for the presence of R. salmoninarum antigen by an indirect dot blot assay and by an indirect fluorescent-antibody technique using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. R. salmoninarum antigen was detected from kidney samples of one greenling and six flathead. Moreover, 86 scallops (Patinopecten yessoensis) were hung from the edge of the net pen for 50 days, and R. salmoninarum antigen was demonstrated in 31 samples by the indirect dot blot assay and the indirect fluorescent-antibody technique.