Mycobacteriosis in fishes: a review

Mycobacterium species have long been recognised as a significant source of morbidity and mortality in finfish aquaculture, as well as in wild finfishes. Mycobacteria infecting fishes also include zoonotic pathogens that can cause protracted illness, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Several basic aspects of mycobacterial pathobiology in aquatic animals remain poorly understood, although a number of important recent developments have been made, especially with respect to identification of novel Mycobacterium spp. infecting fishes and a new group of mycobacteria closely related to the human pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans. This review will encompass important aspects of mycobacterial disease in fishes, discuss recent research including studies of mycobacteriosis in striped bass (Morone saxatilis) of Chesapeake Bay, USA, and suggest directions for future work.