Leukocyte response and phagocytic activity in Nile tilapia experimentally infected with Enterococcus sp

Fish Physiol Biochem. 2009 Mar;35(1):219-22. doi: 10.1007/s10695-008-9262-x. Epub 2008 Sep 7.

Abstract

This study evaluated the total and differential leukocyte counting and the phagocytic activity in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus experimentally injected with Enterococcus sp. in the swim bladder. Fish were distributed in four treatments in triplicates of non-injected fish, fish injected with 1 ml of sterile saline solution 0.65%, and fish injected with 1 x 10(3) and 1 x 10(6) colony-forming units (CFU) of Enterococcus diluted in 1 ml sterile saline. Twenty-four hours after injection, the fish were anesthetized and the blood collected for white blood cell (WBC) counts, differential counting of WBC, and phagocytic activity of blood leukocytes. The increased numbers of WBC and lymphocytes were followed by decreased number of monocyte after infection. The percentages of phagocytic activities in the blood were 55.3 and 55.9%, respectively, in tilapia injected with 1 x 10(3) and 1 x 10(6) CFU/ml.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cichlids / immunology*
  • Enterococcus / physiology*
  • Fish Diseases / immunology*
  • Fish Diseases / microbiology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / immunology
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / veterinary*
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Leukocytes / immunology*
  • Phagocytosis / immunology*