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Fact Sheet AS-461
AQUACULTURE EXTENSION
Illinois - Indiana Sea Grant Program
Sea Grant # IL-IN-SG-FS-91-2
Diagnosis and Treatment of

Aeromonas hydrophila Infection of Fish
DISEASES
LaDon Swann
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program
Purdue University
M. Randy White, D.V.M.

Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Purdue University
Introduction
water quality. Experimental demonstration shows

that fish which are in poor environments due to
unsatisfactory water quality such as high nitrite
levels, low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), or high
levels of carbon dioxide (CO 2) are more susceptible
to infection by Aeromonas hydrophila. Additionally,
a seasonal incidence of a higher number of rep-ted
fish deaths in the spring is associated with decreased
water temperatures.
Aeromonas hydrophila causes disease in fish

known as Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS),
Hemorrhagic Septicemia, Ulcer Disease, or
Red-Sore Disease. The many synonyms of this disease
relate to the lesions caused by this bacterium which
include septicemia where the bacteria or bacterial toxins
are present within numerous organs of the fish, and ulcers
of the fishs skin. Aeromonas hydrophila is a ubiquitous
gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium which is commonly
isolated from fresh water ponds and which is a normal
inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease
caused by this bacterium primarily affects freshwater fish
such as cattfish, several species of bass, and many species
of tropical or ornamental fish.
Reasons for Outbreaks

Many have considered Aeromonas hydrophila to
be an opportunistic pathogen. This seems like a contradiction in terms, since most bacteria which are termed
opportunistic usually do not cause disease unless other
factors are involved, and those bacteria which are
considered a pathogen cart cause disease regardless
of other factors. However, the term opportunistic
pathogen conveys that Aeromonas hydrophila always is
capable of producing disease if given the chance.
As previously stated, the organism is ubiquitous in
nature and is even found in the intestinal tract of the fish.
In natural situations, infections of fish with Aeromonas
hydrophila are probably a minor problem. However, with
intensive fish-fanning systems, whether these systems are
outdoor ponds or indoor aquaria or tanks, other factors

must be considered. The common occurrence of this
disease relates to stress conditions or factors of the fish.
Fish experts agree that fish are easily stressed when
Symptoms
Fish infected with Aeromonas hydrophila may
have many different symptoms. These range from
sudden death in otherwise healthy fish to lack of
appetite, swimming abnormalities, pale gills, bloated
appearance, and skin ulcerations. The skin ulcers
may occur at any site on the fish and often are
surrounded by a bright rim of red tissue. Other
organs commonly affected with this disease include
the gills, kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, and skeletal
muscle. The symptoms vary since they are dependent
upon a number of factors including the virulence of
the organism, the resistance of the fish to infection,
the presence or absence of bacteremia or septicemia,
and stress factors associated with the fish. Because of
the variability of these symptoms, the diagnosis of
this disease based only upon symptoms is highly
unreliable and may be economically disastrous to the
fish producer.
Prevention and Treatment

Obviously the best prevention against Aeromonas hydrophila infection is to never have this
disease. This may sound absurd, but by minimizing
the stress factors of fish through proper handling,
stocking levels, nutrition, transportation, and water
mishandled, overcrowded, transported under poor

quality, fish are much less susceptible to this disease.
conditions, are on a poor level of nutrition, have poor Excllent Sanitation and filtration procedures are an
absolute must in order to minimize the chances of this

disease ever occurring. Once the diagnosis of Aeromonas
hydrophila infection of fish has been established (which
should be left to those trained in infectious fish diseases
and supported by proper laboratory diagnostic tests),
treatment should begin immediately.
Treatment is currently limited to two antibiotics,
Terramycin, an oxytetracycline, and Remet-30, a
potentiated sulfonamide. The current recommended
treament of these two drugs is given in Table 1 below.
Another method for antibiotic use is a dip or bath
(see AS-458), although this is a rather controversial
method and the efficiency or successfulness of this
method is unknown. Problems associated with this
method include the potential devastation to the biofilter
of indoor tank systems and the possible lack of antibiotic
entry into the fish.
Potential problems associated with any antibiotic
therapy include inadequate dosage levels, overdosing,
drug resistance by the bacteria and the chelating of
calcium to hard water in the case of Terramycin used in
a dip or bath. Also remember that many of the fish which
are not actually having symptoms of this disease may be

stressed and increased handling associated with therapy
may be fatal to these fish.
Potential Concern to Human

Finally, the most important fact one should
remember about Aeromonas hydrophila infection of fish
is that this is a zoonotic disease, i.e., it is a disease which
can be spread from animals to man and vice versa.
Healthy individuals exposed to this bacteria are not very
likely to get the disease. However, accidents do happen,
and cutting yourself while butchering affected fish or
impaling a sharp fin into your hand is a sure way to infect
yourself. People who may be immunodeficient or
immunoincompetent such as the very young, the elderly,
or those with other disease problems are at the highest
risk. Good personal hygiene and proper sanitation
procedures should always be used to prevent human
exposure to this disease. These practices include use of
gloves when handling affected fish, proper medical
attention to any cut or laceration (no matter how small),
and bandaging of open wounds. While infection of
Aeromonas hydrophila in people is usually a localized
infection, it is wise to seek medical attention at the first
indication of illness following exposure to or handling of
fish affected with this disease.
Table 1. Registered therapeutants for aquatic or fishery use.*

Product
Sponsor
Dosage
Terramycin
Pfizer, Inc.
2.5-3.75 g/100 lb of fish

per day for 10 days in feed
Remet-30
Hoffman-La Roche,Inc.
50 mg/kg of fish per

day for 5 days
Note: Terramycin has a 21day pre-slaughter withdrawal time. Remet30 has a 3-day pre-slaughter withdrawal time, respectively for catfish and salmonids. Both have a 0.l ppm tolerance level in salmonids and catfish.
* Taken from A Guide to Approved Chemicals in Fish Production and Fishery Resource Management, 1989,
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
NA 89AA-D-SG058
NEW 6/91 (.5M)
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work. Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cooperative Extension Services of Illinois and Indiana. Purdue University
and the University of Illinois are affirmative actio/equal oppurtunity institutions.

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Fact Sheet AS-461

Diagnosis and Treatment of

M. Randy White, D.V.M.

water quality. Experimental demonstration shows

Aeromonas hydrophila causes disease in fish

Reasons for Outbreaks

outdoor ponds or indoor aquaria or tanks, other factors

Prevention and Treatment

mishandled, overcrowded, transported under poor

absolute must in order to minimize the chances of this

are not actually having symptoms of this disease may be

Potential Concern to Human

Table 1. Registered therapeutants for aquatic or fishery use.*

2.5-3.75 g/100 lb of fish

50 mg/kg of fish per

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