Characteristics ofFlavobacterium branchiophilum, the Cause of Salmonid Bacterial Gill Disease in Ontario

Abstract We characterized six filamentous, gram-negative bacterial isolates, each recovered from a naturally occurring salmonid bacterial gill disease (BGD) outbreak in Ontario. The morphological, physiological, biochemical, and antigenic traits of the Ontario isolates were similar to those of Flavobacterium branchiophilum (ATCC 35035, ATCC 35036) recovered from salmonid BGD in Japan and Oregon. We conclude that the Ontario BGD isolates are strains of F. branchiophilum