Virulence Genes and In Vitro Antibiotic Profile of Photobacterium damselae Strains, Isolated from Fish Reared in Greek Aquaculture Facilities

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The present study examined and confirmed the presence of Photobacterium bacteria in aquaculture units in Greece, where the sector plays a crucial role in the national economy. The majority of these bacteria are characterized by high pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance, indicating the need for appropriate management strategies and systematic surveillance.. ABSTRACT: Bacteria belonging to the species Photobacterium damselae are pathogens of cultured marine fish, causing diseases of high importance, such as Pasteurellosis. Thus, they are considered a major threat to the aquaculture sector. Despite the great importance of fish mariculture for the Greek economy, the distribution and abundance of these bacteria are not well documented in aquaculture units in Greece. Keeping this in mind, the scope of the present study was to investigate the presence, antibiotic profile, and virulence of Photobacterium bacteria originating from a representative sample of mariculture units throughout Greece. Samples were collected from diseased fish belonging to three different cultured fish species, namely Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax, and Pagrus pagrus, from both the Aegean and the Ionian Sea. Tissue samples were cultured in agar media, and bacteria were molecularly identified using both bacterial universal and species-specific primer pairs for Photobacterium spp. Additionally, the identified strains were characterized for the presence of virulence genes as well as antibiotic profiles. According to the results, the aforementioned bacteria are distributed in the Greek aquaculture units and are characterized by high pathogenicity based on the abundance of virulence genes. Furthermore, the majority of the detected strains exhibit some level of antibiotic resistance. In summary, our results indicate the need for systematic surveillance and study of their antibiotic profiles in Greek aquaculture since these bacteria constitute a major threat to the sector.