Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Renibacterium salmoninarum and Aeromonas salmonicida

Intra-ovum infection of artificialy contaminated salmonid (rainbow trout or amago salmon) eggs was studied using three fish pathogens (Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Renibacterium salmoninarum and Aeromonas salmonicida). Artificial contamination was performed using egg-surface contamination or immersion-water contamination. For F. psychrophilum and R. salmoninarum, infection occurred by the entry of pathogens from the egg surface to the periviteline space through the micropyle during water-hardening. The infection rate was higher for egg-surface contamination than for immersionwater contamination. The successful concentration of F. psychrophilum for the occurrence of intraovum infection was 10 CFU/mL or more for egg surface contamination, and was 10 CFU/mL or more for immersion-water contamination. After the entry into eggs, F. psychrophilum increased to 10 CFU/egg but A. salmonicida steadily decreased and became undetectable.