Modulary effects of temperature on antibody response and specific resistance to challenge of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, immunized against Edwardsiella ictaluri.

The effects of various temperature treatments on the level of the humoral antibody response in channel catfish immunized with formalin killed Edwardsiella ictaluri was determined in laboratory controlled experiments. Immunized fish that were held at 25 degrees C for 30 days and 12 degrees C for an additional 30 days had higher antibody titers, and were more protected upon challenge, than immunized fish held at 25 degrees C for 60 days. Also immunized catfish held at 25 degrees C for 5 or 10 days followed by 12 degrees C water had higher antibody titers than immunized fish held at 12 degrees C or 25 degrees C for 60 days. In a field experiment carried out during winter and spring (February-May) fingerling channel catfish were vaccinated with E. ictaluri using intraperitoneal injection or immersion with either sonicated or whole cell preparations. Following challenge, the fish vaccinated by immersion in the sonicated preparation had 11.8% mortality whereas the groups immersed in whole cell bacterin, injected with the whole cell bacterin in adjuvant, or injected with sonicate showed 24.6, 57.9 and 41.7% mortality, respectively. Although the fish vaccinated by immersion with the sonicated bacteria had lower antibody titers than those vaccinated by the other methods the immersion vaccinates were more protected against challenge with the pathogen.