Molecular screening of the most common streptococci affecting Common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus Linnaeus, 1758) caught from the Mediterranean coast of Tripoli

Abstract A total number of samples, 270 Common pandora ( Pagellus erythrinus ), were clinically examined for possible streptococcal infection. The fishes were collected from the area extending from Tripoli to Tajoura (east to Tripoli). S. iniae, S. dysgalactiae, S. phocae, Enterococcus fecalis , and other non-streptococcal spp. Such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas , and Photobacterium damselae were biochemically identified. 90 fish per season were thoroughly screened for streptococcal infection for three successive seasons. Regardless of the season, S. iniae and E. fecalis were the most isolated streptococcal spp (13% and 8.88%, respectively). In contrast, the most retrieved non-streptococcal spp were A. hydrophila , followed by Pseudomonas spp, with isolation percentages of 10% and 14.44%, respectively. The highest infections have occurred during winter, followed by summer, then spring seasons with isolation percentages of 53.34%, 50%, and 43.4%, respectively. The majority of the isolated bacterial spp were sensitive to Erythromycin, Florfenicol, and sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim. Molecular screening utilizing the sequences of 16S rRNA genes has confirmed the phylogenetic relationship to S. dysgalactiae, E. faecalis, S. iniae , and S. phocae isolates with similarity percentages exceeding 99.6%. The sequences were deposited in the GenBank with accession numbers (OK033868, OK033869, OK033870, and OK033871).