Immunomodulatory characteristics of Streptococcus parauberis isolated from infected olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus

Streptococcal diseases are known as serious problems in fresh water and marine fish culture industry worldwide. Recently, the importance of the infection of Streptococcus parauberis has been increased among the streptococcicosis since severe outbreaks in cultured olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) were recorded in Korea. The aims of the present study were to investigate immunomodulatory differences between S. parauberis and S. iniae. In this study, S. parauberis isolated from diseased olive flounder was investigated on the characteristics of morphological and immune responses. Immune response of the fish to the pathogen was characterized by bactericidal activity in the serum, phagocytic activity and reactive oxy- gen intermediaters (ROIs) production of olive flounder. The capsules of both bacteria, S. parauberis and S. iniae seem to be associated with the ability to resist killing activity of normal sera. Also, capsulated strains could survive in the phagocytes and induce to lower ROIs production.