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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242113
Title: Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of potassium permanganate at early stages of an experimental acute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Author
item Darwish, Ahmed
item Mitchell, Andrew
item Straus, David - Dave

Submitted to: Aquaculture Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/14/2009
Publication Date: 9/15/2010
Citation: Darwish, A.M., Mitchell, A.J., Straus, D.L. 2010. Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of potassium permanganate at early stages of an experimental acute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Aquaculture Research. 41(10):1479-1485.

Interpretive Summary: Columnaris disease exists worldwide and affects a wide variety of fish. The infection is caused by the bacterium Flavobacterium columnare. In the United States, columnaris is one of the two most costly diseases to the channel catfish industry. Controlling the losses inflected by the disease requires controlled scientific testing of therapeutants against the infection. The present study assessed the effectiveness of potassium permanganate to mortalities caused by the infection. Potassium permanganate treatment at early stage of an acute infection can significantly reduce the mortalities. The results demonstrated the potential of potassium permanganate as a therapeutant and the importance of early disease detection and treatment.

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 early stages of columnaris infection, but limited therapeutic value once the infection has progressed.