Identification of bacteria from the normal flora of perch, Perca fluviatilis L., and evaluation of their inhibitory potential towards Aeromonas species.

Pathogenic Aeromonas sobria has been identified as a causative agent of ulcerative disease in farmed European perch, Perca fluviatilis L. To study the effect of the normal intestinal bacterial flora of perch against A. sobria, we sampled 193 bacterial isolates from the perch digestive tract. The isolates were identified by sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and their inhibitory potential against A. sobria was evaluated in vitro. Nineteen of the strains isolated showed inhibition and were also tested against other aeromonad and non-aeromonad fish pathogens including Yersinia ruckeri and Vibrio anguillarum. Isolates showing inhibition were primarily Pseudomonas spp.; however, inhibitory Shewanella spp., and Delftia sp. were also identified. A Pseudomonas chlororaphis isolate showed inhibition against all fish pathogens tested.