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The effect of infection by Pomphorhynchus laevis (Acanthocephala) on the composition of the intestinal bacterial flora in flounder, Platichthys flesus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Marta Ziółkowska-Klinkosz
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Microbiology, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Do Studzienki 38 Gdańsk, Poland
Jerzy Rokicki*
Affiliation:
Departament of Invertebrate Zoology, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81–378 Gdynia, Poland
Anna Kędzia
Affiliation:
Department of Oral Microbiology, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Do Studzienki 38 Gdańsk, Poland
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J. Rokicki, Departament of Invertebrate Zoology, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81–378 Gdynia, Poland email: [email protected]

Abstract

A total of 112 flounder, Platichthys flesus, was surveyed for the presence of Pomphorhynchus laevis (Acanthocephala). No acanthocephalans were found in 35 fish, 40 fish were infected with 1–5 thorny-headed worms, and in 37 fish the intensity of infection exceeded 6. The fish surveyed were also studied for the composition of the resident microflora of the terminal portion of the intestine—the characteristic site for P. laevis. It turned out the number of worms was positively correlated with the bacterial count. The bacteria cultured from the material sampled from intestines of infected- and non-infected fish exhibited similar specific composition and the differences were only in the intensity of individual species. The most frequently isolated bacteria, represented the genera: Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Shewanella. The least frequent were species of Chromobacterium, Escherichia, Providencia and Serratia. The presently reported study results, suggest that bacteria species, constituting physiological bacterial flora, may become, under certain conditions, potentially pathogenic, through substantial increase in their abundance. The factor responsible for disturbing the natural balance in the intestine may be the thorny-headed worm, Pomphorhynchus laevis.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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