ISSN:
1749-7345
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus fingerlings were fed purified diets supplemented with iron at levels of 0, 20, 60, and 180 mg/kg from iron sulfate (FeS) or 5, 10, 20, 60, and 180 mg/kg from iron methionine (FeM) in triplicate tanks for 8 wk. Fish were then divided into two groups and subjected to different assays to measure disease resistance and individual immune functions. Representative fish from each dietary treatment were challenged by bacterial immersion with virulent Edwardsiella ictaluri, and mortality due to enteric septicemia was recorded. Other fish were immunized with 0.2–mL formalin-killed E. ictaluri and boosted 21 d post-immunization. Antibody response was determined by FAST-ELISA. Chemiluminescent and chemotaxis assays were performed using peritoneal macrophages. Supplementation of the diet with various levels of iron from FeS or FeM did not significantly affect antibody production. Chemotactic migration by macrophages was depressed in iron-deficient fish and a level of 60 mgkg from either FeS or FeM provided the highest chemotactic indexes. A deficiency of dietary iron was found to increase mortality of channel caffish due to enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC). However, more studies should be conducted to better understand the effects of sources and levels of dietary iron on immune responses and disease resistance in channel caffish.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-7345.1997.tb00849.x
