Isolation and characterization of pathogeny from cultured banded grouper

The characteristics of ulcer disease that was observed in cage-cultured banded grouper in Tongan Bay of Xiamen are documented in this report. The predominat bacterium was isolated and characterized. Artifical infection testing confirmed the isolate was the pathogenic bacterium that led to ulcer disease of the cage-cultured banded grouper in Tongan Bay. Different methods were used to identify this pathogenic bacterium. According to morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA gene homology comparison of the bacterium with all DNA sequences in genebank, the isolate from diseased banded grouper was finally identified to be Vibrio harveyi.