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Also known as: ''''' Enteric septicaemia of catfish  '''''—''''' Piscine mycobacteriosis '''''— ''''' Piscine tubercle'''''—''''' Chronic inflammatory foci (CIF) '''''—'''''  Tubercle granuloma'''''—'''''Hole in the head disease.

Also known as: ''''' Enteric septicaemia of catfish  '''''—''''' Piscine mycobacteriosis '''''— ''''' Piscine tubercle'''''—''''' Chronic inflammatory foci (CIF) '''''—'''''  Tubercle granuloma'''''—'''''Hole in the head disease.

==Introduction==

==Introduction==

Edwardsiella ictaluri belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family and is a Gram negative, short, pleomorphic rod, measuring 0.75 × 1.5-2.5 µm, which is weakly motile at 25-30°C, but not at higher temperatures.  It has peritrichous flagella and occasionally pili that can be seen with a scanning electron micrographs and can have between one to three plasmids depending on their molecular mass.  It is generally considered an obligate pathogen, although it can survive in steralised pond bottom mud for over 90days but does not compete well with other microbes.   

Edwardsiella ictaluri belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family and is a Gram negative, short, pleomorphic rod, measuring 0.75 × 1.5-2.5 µm, which is weakly motile at 25-30°C, but not at higher temperatures.  It has peritrichous flagella and occasionally pili that can be seen with a scanning electron micrographs and can have between one to three plasmids depending on their molecular mass.  It is generally considered an obligate pathogen, although it can survive in steralised pond bottom mud for over 90days but does not compete well with other microbes.   

Wild hosts include white, bullhead, blue, and wels catfish species and  Japanese eel, Glass knifefishes, Tadpole Madtom, Rosy barb (minnow family),  and species of carp called Devario devario .   

Wild hosts include white, bullhead, blue, and wels catfish species and  Japanese eel, Glass knifefishes, Tadpole Madtom, Rosy barb (minnow family),  and species of carp called Devario devario .   

Domestic hosts include white, walking, channel and sutchi catfish species and under experimental setting has infected rainbow trout and chinook slamon.

Domestic hosts include white, walking, channel and sutchi catfish species and under experimental setting has infected rainbow trout and chinook slamon.

==Clinical Signs==

==Clinical Signs==

With the chronic form of ESC clinical signs include, altered mentation, listlessness and chaotic swimming with ‘head-up, tail-down’ posture, circling and mortality.  In later stages the dorsum of the head swells and ulcerates revealing areas of the brain (hence the name ‘hole in the head disease’).  With acute forms of ESC you can see petechial haemorrhages around the buccal area, throat, abdomen and the fin base, that progress to depigmented ulcers.  Fish generally suffer from moderate pale inflamed gills, exophthalmia, anaemia, haemorrhagic enteritis, systemic oedema, dropsy, ascites and splenomegaly. General behavioural changes include loss of balance, swimming near the surface, lethargy and cessation of feeding.   

With the chronic form of ESC clinical signs include, altered mentation, listlessness and chaotic swimming with ‘head-up, tail-down’ posture, circling and mortality.  In later stages the dorsum of the head swells and ulcerates revealing areas of the brain (hence the name ‘hole in the head disease’).  With acute forms of ESC you can see petechial haemorrhages around the buccal area, throat, abdomen and the fin base, that progress to depigmented ulcers.  Fish generally suffer from moderate pale inflamed gills, exophthalmia, anaemia, haemorrhagic enteritis, systemic oedema, dropsy, ascites and splenomegaly. General behavioural changes include loss of balance, swimming near the surface, lethargy and cessation of feeding.   

==Epidemiology==

==Epidemiology==

The  bacteria can survive in pond sediment and once a population of fish have recovered from an infection of ECS, they can become carriers. It can be found in the kidneys of fishes and is thought to be shed in the faeces of fish.  

The  bacteria can survive in pond sediment and once a population of fish have recovered from an infection of ECS, they can become carriers. It can be found in the kidneys of fishes and is thought to be shed in the faeces of fish.