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. 2015 Spring;16(2):144-9.

First isolation of Mycobacterium spp. in Mullus spp. in Turkey

P Sevim  1 , S Ozer  2 , F Rad  2
Affiliations

First isolation of Mycobacterium spp. in Mullus spp. in Turkey

P Sevim et al. Iran J Vet Res. 2015 Spring.

Abstract

Ichthyozoonotic Mycobacterium spp. poses health risks both to fish and humans. In this study, the presence of ichthyozoonotic Mycobacterium spp. was investigated in red mullet (Mullus barbatus barbatus) and surmullet (Mullus surmuletus), widely caught species in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea. A total of 208 fish samples, provided from fishermen of Mersin province (Turkey) were studied. Using conventional methods, Mycobacterium spp. was isolated and identified at the genus level by PCR and at the species level by PCR-RFLP. Thirteen Mycobacterium spp. were detected in 13 (6.25%) fish samples. Four mycobacteria were identified as M. genavense, three as M. fortuitum, three as M. scrofulaceum, one as M. marinum, one as M. vaccae and one as M. aurum. No signs of mycobacteriosis were observed in fish samples. Findings of this study can contribute to future studies of onichthyozoonotic Mycobacterium spp. in seafood.

Keywords: Fish disease; Food safety; Mycobacterium spp.; Red mullet (Mullus barbatus barbatus); Surmullet (Mullus surmuletus).

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map of the fish sampling points (K: Karaduvar-Mersin, T: Taşucu, and A: Anamur)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A colony of Mycobacterium sp. on Löwenstein-Jensen agar
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Acid-fast rods (Ziehl-Neelsen staining, ×1000
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Electrophoresis image of primer specific PCR. Column M: 100 bp of DNA molecular weight marker (Amresco, 100 bp ladder, K180-250UL), Column 1-13: Mycobacterium spp. isolates, Column 14: M. gordonae (RSKK 14470), 15: M. fortuitum (ATCC 6841), 16: M. chelonae (RSKK 06064), 17: M. aurum (DSMZ 6695), 18: M. tuberculosis (H37Rv), and 19: Negative control
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Electrophoresis image of PCR-RFLP/BstEII enzyme. Column M: 100 bp of DNA molecular weight marker (Amresco, 100 bp ladder, K180-250UL), Column 1-13: Mycobacterium spp. isolates, Column 14: M. gordonae (RSKK 14470), 15: M. fortuitum (ATCC 6841), 16: M. chelonae (RSKK 06064), 17: M. aurum (DSMZ 6695), 18: M. tuberculosis (H37Rv), 19: Negative control
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Electrophoresis image of PCR-RFLP/HaeIII enzyme. Column M: 100 bp of DNA molecular weight marker (Amresco, 100 bp ladder, K180-250UL), Column 1-13: Mycobacterium spp. isolates, Column 14: M. gordonae (RSKK 14470), 15: M. fortuitum (ATCC 6841), 16: M. chelonae (RSKK 06064), 17: M. aurum (DSMZ 6695), 18: M. tuberculosis (H37Rv), 19: Negative control
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