Bacterial Kidney Disease of Salmonids

Abstract

The first outbreak of bacterial kidney disease of salmonid (BKD) in Hokkaido, Japan occurred in the autumn of 1973. Subsequently, nine outbreaks of BKD were confirmed in Hokkaido and recently occurrence of this disease in the mainland of Japan was also documented by the author. Currently, this disease is being monitored with keen interest in Japan. In this review, the pathology of the infected fish, causative organisms and therapeutic or preventing measures of BKD based on previous reports are discussed. The advantage of two diagnostic techniques (a precipitation reaction and a coagglutination test by specific antibodies absorbed protein A-containing staphylococci with heat extracted antigen of BKD) are presented. © 1978, The Japanese Society of Fish Pathology. All rights reserved.