A pentavalent vaccine for rainbow trout in Danish aquaculture

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mariculture in Denmark is based on production of rainbow trout grown two years in fresh water followed by one growth season in sea cages. Although the majority of rainbow trout are vaccinated against the most serious bacterial pathogens – Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, Vibrio anguillarum and Yersinia ruckeri, by the use of commercially available vaccines, disease outbreaks requiring treatment with antibiotics still occur. The present study tested the potential of a new experimental multicomponent vaccine that is based on local bacterial strains, isolated from rainbow trout in Danish waters, and thus custom‐designed for Danish rainbow trout mariculture. The vaccination with the multicomponent vaccine resulted in protection against three relevant bacterial diseases (yersiniosis, furunculosis, vibriosis) under experimental conditions. We showed that i.p. injection of the vaccine induced specific antibody responses in trout against the different bacterial antigens and regulated expression of genes encoding SAA, C3, IL‐1&bgr;, IL‐6, IL‐8, IgD and MHCII. HighlightsA custom‐designed vaccine for Danish rainbow trout mariculture was tested.The vaccine was based on local bacterial strains.Vaccination led to lower morbidity in vaccinated fish against 3 diseases.Vaccinated fish showed antibody reactivity against bacterial isolates in the vaccine.