A culture-dependent 16S rRNA gene-based approach to identify gill bacteria associated with amoebic gill disease in Atlantic salmon

The culturable gill bacterial populations associated with amoebic gill disease (AGD) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were identified using biochemical tests, cluster analysis and 16S rRNA gene-based approaches. The gills of fish with clinical signs of AGD were dominated by isolates that had biochemical profiles similar to the representative strains identified as Winogradskyella spp. and Staphylococcus spp. Such strains could not be cultured from the AGD-negative samples. This study discusses the possibility of association of culturable salmonid gill bacteria in AGD.