Influence of probiotic feeding duration on disease resistance and immune parameters in rainbow trout

The effect of feeding the probiotic Kocuria SM1 to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) on disease resistance was evaluated. Thus, rainbow trout were fed Kocuria SM1 supplemented diets at concentrations of ∼108 cells g−1 feed for up to four weeks, and then challenged intraperitoneally with Vibrio anguillarum at weekly intervals. A two-week feeding regime led to the maximum reduction in mortalities, i.e. 16%, compared to mortalities of 62, 30 and 22% for one, three and four week feeding regimes, respectively. These compared to 70–90% mortalities of the controls. An enhanced cellular and humoral immune response, notably greater head kidney macrophage phagocytic and peroxidase activities, and higher serum lysozyme and total protein levels were recorded after two weeks of probiotic administration. These results reveal that a two-week feeding regime with Kocuria SM1 leads to higher disease protection in rainbow trout, with protection linked to stimulation of immune parameters.