TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL EASTERN FISH HEALTH WORKSHOP JOHN CARVER INN, PLYMOUTH, MA 30 MARCH - 2 APRIL, 1998 Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Of Streptococcus iniae From Cultured Fish Craig Shoemaker and Phil Klesius USDA-ARS Fish Diseases and Parasites Research Laboratory, PO Box 0952, Auburn, AL 36831 Streptococcus iniae, a Gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacteria, has recently gained attention as a fish pathogen because of the apparent association with human infection. Human infections were reported to be a result of handling live fish and skin wounds. Researchers suggest a clone of S. iniae identified by Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) exists which is responsible for invasive infection in humans. We obtained isolates of S. iniae from distinct geographic regions of the United States and identified them biochemically. All isolates were similar by biochemical analysis. PFGE analysis using standard methods and the restriction enzymes ApaI and SmaI was performed to determine if differences in DNA profiles of the isolates existed. We found DNA profiles were different between regions and those DNA profiles to date did not match the human isolate we tested them against. However, PFGE suggests that the human isolate and some fish isolates tested may be closely related (i.e., genetic changes resulting in two to three band differences) or possibly related (i.e., genetic changes resulting in four to six band differences).   Return to 23rd Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop Return to Leetown Science Center Home Page