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Changes In The Humoral Immune Response Of
Hybrid Striped Bass At Different Ages
Terry C.
Hrubec,
D. Ward, S.A. Smith, and J.L. Robertson Dept. of
Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary
Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
24061 Vaccination is used frequently to
enhance the immune response and provide protection from transmittable
diseases. Although vaccine use in
aquaculture is increasing, much research is still needed to determine the
efficacy and cost effectiveness of vaccination. A number of factors can affect the
efficacy of a vaccine, including the ability of the fish to mount an immune
response to the antigen. In mammals,
young and juvenile animals have a suppressed immune response when compared to
adults. In fishes, it is known that
young fry have a lower immune response than adults; however few studies have
investigated the immune response in juvenile fish. It is important to investigate the immune response in juvenile
fish, as this is the time most fish are reared in aquaculture settings. We compared the humoral immune response of
hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis X Morone chrysops) at five different ages
to determine any changes occurring as the fish matured. Fifty fish were bath immunized with a
commercial Vibrio vaccine and 50 fish were sham immunized in tank water at 4,
6, 9, 15 and 19 months of age. The
antibody titer in these fish was monitored by an ELISA assay for 100 days post
vaccination to determine the kinetics of the immune response. The magnitude, duration, and time to peak
titer were compared between the different ages of fish using ANOVA statistical
analysis. There were significant
differences between the five ages of fish with the younger fish exhibiting
lower antibody titers. There was also a
significant age titer time interaction.
These findings indicate that juvenile fish may not be able to mount as
effective an immune response as young adult fish. This may affect future vaccination strategies of young fish in aquaculture
settings.
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