Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of potassium permanganate at early stages of an experimental acute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Authors: Darwish, Ahmed; Mitchell, Andrew; Straus, David - Dave

Submitted to: Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2009
Publication Date: 4/27/2009
Citation: Darwish, A.M., Mitchell, A.J., Straus, D.L. 2009. Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of potassium permanganate at early stages of an experimental acute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). 34th Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop. p.23.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The efficacy of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) against early stages of an experimental acute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) was evaluated. Fish were experimentally challenged, by waterborne exposure for 2 h to F. columnare after cutaneous abrasion, and treated with KMnO4 at 2.0 mg/L above the potassium permanganate demand at 0, 1, 2 or 4 h post-challenge for 24 h. Challenged non-treated fish acted as positive control and non-challenged non-treated fish acted as a negative control. Fish challenged and treated with KMnO4 at 0, 1, 2 or 4 h post-challenge had mortalities of 26, 63, 64 and 83%, respectively. The mortality of challenged fish treated with KMnO4 at 0 h post-challenge (26%) was significantly less than the positive control (77%). The mortalities of challenged fish treated at 1, 2 or 4 h post-challenge were not significantly different from the positive control fish. The results suggest that KMnO4 has a clear therapeutic value in very early stages of columnaris infection, but limited therapeutic value once the infection has progressed.