Isolation of a zoonotic pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila from freshwater stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) kept in a Korean aquarium with ricefish (Oryzias latipes)

Abstract

In the present study, Aeromonas (A.) hydrophila was isolated from a captive-bred adult freshwater stingray (Potamotrygon motoro) reared at a commercial aquarium in Korea. The stingray had bites on its fins, hemorrhages on the ventral part, and congested internal organs. A bacterium was isolated from kidney and subsequently identified as A. hydrophila. Based on phylogenetic analysis results, the isolate in the present study (SNUAh-LA1) was most closely related to A. hydrophila AH10 (China) and A. hydrophila AKR1 (Korea). It is most likely that the pathogen infection resulted from Potamotrygon motoro cohabiting with ricefish (Oryzias latipes).