Role of surface components in serum resistance of virulent Aeromonas salmonicida.

The ability of virulent strains of Aeromonas salmonicida to resist the bactericidal activity of serum was quantitated. The A. salmonicida strains tested included virulent strains, mutants lacking the major surface A-protein, and mutants lacking A-protein and having a modified lipopolysaccharide structure. The sera evaluated included normal human, rabbit, and trout sera, immune trout serum, and immune rabbit serum containing antibodies to A-protein and lipopolysaccharide. Virulent strains of A. salmonicida displayed high or intermediate resistance to the bactericidal activity of complement both in the presence and absence of specific antibody. In normal sera, both A-protein and lipopolysaccharide contributed to serum resistance. In immune trout serum, the protection was conferred by A-protein.