A study conducted by researchers from Veterinary Aquaculture Pharmacology (FAV. S.A.), UNAB, and INCAR has confirmed the presence of high antigenic and genetic heterogeneity within isolates of Flavobacterium psychrophilum (F. psychrophilum) from a same fish farm. These isolates can coexist during the development of an infectious outbreak and even exhibit different pathogenic potential, depending on whether the species is rainbow trout or Atlantic salmon. The results are highly relevant and should be considered for the future development of site-specific vaccines or autovaccines, as well as to explain the potential lack of protection when a single dose of existing biological products is administered. This is important considering that the population of F. psychrophilum is not homogeneous and can vary from one fish farm to another.
For more information, please read the article “Co-occurrence of heterogeneous Flavobacterium psychrophilum isolates within the same Chilean farm and during the same infectious outbreak”,
