Streptococcus agalactiae infection caused spinal deformity in juvenile red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.)

A case of juvenile red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) showing body deformity due to spinal curvature was investigated. Approximately 20% of the crop (4,000 fish/crop) was affected. Bacterial isolation from the kidney and tissue surrounding the spinal lesion of the affected fish was negative. Histopathology revealed granulomatous inflammation and Gram-positive cocci in connective tissues around the bone and notochord. PCR assay confirmed the presence of S. agalactiae in the spinal tissue lesion. Spinal deformity in red tilapia observed in our study may be associated with the inflammatory process and granuloma that compress the skeleton structure. The present study highlights chronic streptococcosis in tilapia culture that may be unnoticed.