Systemic Granulomatosis in the Meagre : Fishing for a Plausible Etiology.

Meagre () is one of the fast-growing species considered for sustainable aquaculture development along the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic coasts. The emergence of Systemic Granulomatosis (SG), a disease marked by multiple granulomas in various tissues, poses a significant challenge in meagre aquaculture. In the current study, we investigate the association of spp. and SG in offshore aquaculture facilities in Sardinia, Italy. A total of 34 adult seemingly healthy meagre were arbitrarily collected and analyzed, combining histological, microbiological, molecular, metagenomics, and in situ techniques to investigate the presence of pathogens. Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN), periodic acid-schiff (PAS), and Giemsa stains were performed for the detection of acid-fast bacteria, common parasites, and fungi within granulomas, respectively. Granulomas were detected in 91% (31/34) of fish. The affected organs were kidney (88%), liver (47%), heart (41%), intestine (17.6%), and brain (5%). Acid-fast staining, along with spp. specific quantitative PCR (qPCR), in situ hybridization (ISH) assay, and microbiological analyses showed negative results for the detection of spp. and other bacteria implicated in granuloma formation. However, PCR amplification and sequencing of the 65-kDa heat shock protein gene revealed the presence of in 13% of both formalin-fixed and frozen liver tissues. Bacterial isolation failed to detect nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and other bacteria typically associated with granulomas. Consistently, the use of an -specific probe in ISH failed to identify this bacterial species in granulomas. Collectively, results do not support the role of in the development of granulomas and suggest rejecting the hypothesis of a potential link between NTM and SG.