RESUMO
The aim of this study was to understand the pathogenesis of motile aeromonas septicemia caused by an emergent, high virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (vAh) in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus Adipose fin clipped catfish were challenged with vAh using a waterborne challenge method, and the distribution of vAh over a time course was detected and quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that 77.8% of fish died within 48 h post challenge with mean day to death of 1.5 days. At 2 h post challenge, vAh (inferred from genomic DNA copies or genome equivalents) was detected in all external and internal tissues sampled. Gill had the highest vAh cells at 1 h post challenge. Spleen harbored the most vAh cells among internal organs at 4 h post challenge. The tissues/organs with most vAh cells detected at 8 h post challenge were adipose fin, blood, intestine, kidney and skin, while liver showed the highest vAh cells at 24 h post challenge. These results suggest that vAh was able to rapidly proliferate and spread, following wound infection, through the fish blood circulation system and cause mortality within 8-24 h.