Heat stress can increase disease risk in fishes by reducing immune function. Interactions between redband trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri ) and Flavobacterium columnare , a causative agent of columnaris disease, provide an opportunity to investigate the effects of temperature on immune function and disease resistance during periods of thermal stress. We conducted three trials to characterise differences in immune functio...

Iron is essential for growth and virulence in most pathogenic bacterial strains. In some cases, the hosts for these pathogenic bacteria develop specialized strategies to sequester iron and limit infectivity. This in turn may result in the invading pathogens utilizing high‐affinity iron transport mechanisms, such as the use of iron‐chelating siderophores, to extend beyond the host defences. Flavobacterium psychrophilum , the ca...

Salmonid diseases caused by infections of Flavobacterium psychrophilum , the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease, remain difficult to manage as novel, pathogenic strains continue to emerge in aquaculture settings globally. To date, much of the research regarding treatment options and vaccine development has focused on rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), but other inland‐reared salmonids are also impacted by this...

For salmonid producers, a common threat is Flavobacterium psychrophilum . Recent advancements in bacterial coldwater disease (BCWD) management include the development of a live‐attenuated immersion vaccine that cross‐protects against an array of F. psychrophilum strains. Emerging family Flavobacteriaceae cases associated with clinical disease have been increasing, including pathogenic isolates of Flavobacterium spp. and Chryse...

Burbot ( Lota lota maculosa ) are a potential new species for commercial aquaculture. As burbot culture expands, there is a need to further define pathogen susceptibility and characterize aspects of the burbot immune response in an effort to assess fish health. A recent clinical diagnostic case from juvenile burbot reared at a commercial production facility resulted in the isolation and identification of Flavobacterium columna...

Co‐infection of rainbow trout with infections haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and Flavobacterium psychrophilum is known to occur, and it has been speculated that a combined infection can result in dramatic losses. Both pathogens can persist in fish in an asymptomatic carrier state, but the impact of co‐infection has not been well characterized or documented. In this study, it was hypothesized that fish co‐infected with F....

Bacterial coldwater disease, caused by Flavobacterium psychrophilum , remains one of the most significant bacterial diseases of salmonids worldwide. A previously developed and reported live‐attenuated immersion vaccine ( F. psychrophilum ; B.17‐ ILM ) has been shown to confer significant protection to salmonids. To further characterize this vaccine, a series of experiments were carried out to determine the cross‐protective eff...