Acute disseminated mycobacteriosis in captive Atlantic guitarfish (Rhinobatos lentiginosus)

Abstract

An adult female captive-born Atlantic guitarfish ( Rhinobatos lentiginosus) was found acutely moribund on exhibit and died soon after presentation. Abnormalities on autopsy were focal cutaneous erythema on the tail, a small liver, many variably sized friable ovarian follicles, and coelomic effusion. Histologic examination revealed systemic bacterial embolization, and yolk coelomitis with minimal associated inflammation and some mineralization. Bacterial culture of blood and coelomic effusion grew a rapidly growing Mycobacterium species that was further identified as Mycobacterium chelonae by PCR amplification and sequencing of the RNA polymerase subunit beta ( rpoB) gene of isolated genomic DNA. Concurrent reproductive disease may have caused immunosuppression, thus predisposing to the mycobacterial infection. At another institution, an adult male wild-caught Atlantic guitarfish was found dead on exhibit with no premonitory signs. Abnormalities on autopsy were a thin body condition, small liver, and coelomic effusion. Histologic examination revealed acute mycobacterial septicemia. M. chelonae was also identified in this fish by PCR amplification and sequencing. Mycobacteriosis has rarely been reported in captive elasmobranchs. Guitarfish may have greater susceptibility to mycobacteriosis than other elasmobranchs, and acute and chronic manifestations of the disease may exist in this species.

Mycobacteriosis in Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

“…Four of the cases were different and showed histopathological changes consistent with septicemia with large amounts of mycobacteria in blood vessels and various tissues. A similar form of acute mycobacteriosis has been described in Atlantic guitarfish (Rhinobatos lentiginosus) infected with M. chelonae (Tuxbury et al, 2017).…”

Elasmobranch-associated microbiota: a scientometric literature review

“…The animal died after being transferred to a holding tank ( Anderson et al, 2012 ). Two more cases of mycobacterial infection in the same species, also from aquaria are noted, with Mycobacterium chelonae identified as the responsible agent following histological tissue and blood culture assessments, confirmed by a DNA sequencing analysis after individuals were found dead inside their display tanks ( Tuxbury et al, 2017 ). The authors report that both acute and chronic mycobacteriosis manifestations may occur in this elasmobranch species.…”

Identification of Mycobacterium chelonae from Lined Seahorse Hippocampus erectus and Histopathological Analysis

“…M. chelonae infection has also been reported in zebrafish Danio rerio, Japanese pufferfish Takifugu rubripes, Atlantic guitarfish Rhinobatos lentiginosus. Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, Yellow perch Perca flavescens, Yellow stingray Urobatis jamaicensis, and Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii [25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. Although many fish species can be infected with M. chelonae, studies have shown that there are differences in susceptibility to M. chelonae among different species and even different lines of the same species [32].…”