Experiences with S. iniae from other countries
from the ProMED electronic discussion group

The items on this page were taken from this electronic discussion group which was designed in 1994 to support the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) which was proposed by the Federation of American Scientists specifically to create a global system of early detection and timely response to disease outbreaks. It came as many experts warned of the need to improve capabilities for dealing with emerging infectious diseases and the resurgence of old scourges. ProMED was inaugurated in September 1993 at a Geneva conference co-sponsored by sixty prominent experts in human, animal and plant health. The ProMED-mail electronic mail conference debuted in 1994. Through SatelLife and HealthNet, this low cost system reaches participants in developing countries and remote areas. Subscription to the ProMED-mail conference is free of charge.

PRO/AH> Strep. iniae, fish: RFI

STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE, FISH: REQUEST FOR INFO
***************************************
<http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>

[see also:
Streptococcus iniae in human disease: RFI 960319
Streptococcus iniae in human disease (2)  960319
Streptococcus iniae in human disease (03) 961007185605]

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 22:37:50 -0400
From: "Terry and Andrea" <terand@sunbeach.net>

I am seeking information on the cases of infection of non-freshwater fish 
by _Streptococcus iniae_.  There was an outbreak in the southern Caribbean
[Barbados] among reef fish which resulted in mass mortality of the fish 
and I am interested in knowing whether there were similar outbreaks in
open/coastal waters or whether it has been confined to freshwater fish, 
so far.

--
Terry Ally
Barbados
terand@sunbeach.net

[I believe Terry means the cause of the reef fish outbreak is unidentified,
 & he´s wondering whether it could have been due to _Strep. iniae_.

Please reply direct to Terry, copy to ProMED - Mod.JW]
..............................................jw

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PRO/AH> Strep. iniae, fish (02)

STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE, FISH (02)
***************************************
A ProMED post
<http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>

[see: Strep. iniae, fish: RFI 991011093751]

Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 09:58:17 +1000
From: "Erin Bromage" <erin.bromage@jcu.edu.au>

There have been quite a few outbreaks of _Streptococcus iniae_ in saltwater
and brackish environments worldwide, including Australia, China, Thailand,
and Japan, most of which have been associated with aquaculture.

Here in Northern Australia, _S.iniae_ has emerged as a serious pathogen of
_Lates calcarifer_ (barramundi), grown in sea cages. Recently, however,
there have been 2 large epizootics in wild fish, with fish losses estimated
at about 5-10 tons.

I have found that many species of fish are carriers, or are susceptible to
_S. iniae_, including fish found on the Great Barrier Reef (especially the
siganids (rabbit fish) and puffers), most of which die quite rapidly
(12-48hrs) after initial exposure to the pathogen.

In my experience _S. iniae_ is highly infective in freshwater, and only just
slightly less so in saltwater (comparison done on Euryhaline fish species).

---
Erin Bromage
Aquatic Microbiology and Pathobiology
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
James Cook University, Townsville, 4811 Australia
<erin.bromage@jcu.edu.au>
...........................................................tg/jw

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Re: S. iniae in marine fish

S. iniae has indeed been identified among marine species. Please look at
our recent publications in DAO and Appl. Env. Microbiol. concerning S.
iniae infections in red-drum, European sea-bass, sea-bream and
rabbitfish (spinefoot).

In case you need aid in confirmation of the isolates - you are welcome
to send us samples.

Sincerely,
Avi Eldar

Avi Eldar, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Fish Dis. Lab.
Veterinary Services - Ministry of Agriculture
Kimron Vet. Inst.
POB 12, Bet-Dagan 50250
ISRAEL

fax        (+)972-3-9681739
e-mail   aelda@vs.moag.gov.il
              eldar@agri.huji.ac.il

Re: ProMED Digest v99.n252 STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE, FISH: REQUEST FOR INFO

Terry Ally was correct: Strep. iniae has been isolated from the organs of
reef fish (dead and dying) affected in the fish kill in Barbados recently.
Similar outbreaks have occurred in waters around in Tobago, Grenada and
St. Vincent.

The working hypothesis at present seems to be that a stronger than usual
"Guyana current" has brought extra freshwater and silt from the north coast
of South America. This is turn has caused eutrophication of the water column
and an excessive bloom, removing oxygen and stressing the fish enough to
allow infection with Strep. iniae.

I would also like to hear from anyone who knows of more reports of marine
fish infection, other than the recent report by Zlotkin et al. Possible
transmission of Streptococcus iniae from wild fish to cultured marine fish.
Appl Environ Microbiol 1998 Oct;64(10):4065-7

Paul N. Levett, PhD ABMM
University of the West Indies
School of Clinical Medicine & Research
Barbados

Phone (246) 427-5586
Fax (246) 429-6738
e-mail: levett@sunbeach.net

PRO/AH> Streptococcus iniae, humans

STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE, HUMANS
****************************
A ProMED-mail posting

[See Streptococcus iniae in human disease (03)     961007185605
Streptococcus iniae in human disease (2)           960319
Streptococcus iniae in human disease: RFI          960319]

[1]

From: Edward McSweegan <EMCSWEEGAN@mercury.niaid.nih.gov>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 08:54:27 -0400
Source: SCIENCE-REPORT 


Streptococcus iniae is a pathogen in fish capable of causing invasive
disease in fish, and there are epidemics among fish grown by aquaculture,
such as the Hawaiian sunfish, which is a popular food fish in Asian
communities. 

Mitchell R. Weinstein et  al (University of Toronto, CA) report that S.
iniae can produce  invasive infection (cellulitis of the hand and
endocarditis) in 
humans with skin injuries who handle fresh fish. QY: D. E. Low, Dept. Micro-
biology, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Ave., Toronto ON M5G 1X5, CA
(New England J. Med. 28 August)


*****
[2]

From: Edward McSweegan <EMCSWEEGAN@mercury.niaid.nih.gov>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 08:54:27 -0400
Source: MMWR


A year ago, MMWR carried a report of four cases of S. iniae infection 
in four Chinese residents of Ontario during 1995-1996.  Here's a 
summary of the MMWR report:

During December 1995-February 1996, four cases of a bacteremic illness
(three accompanied by cellulitis and the fourth with infective
endocarditis, meningitis, and probable septic arthritis) were identified
among patients at a hospital in Ontario. Streptococcus iniae, a fish
pathogen not previously reported as a cause of illness in humans, was
isolated from all four patients. All four patients were 
of Chinese descent had a history of preparing fresh, whole fish; three
patients for whom information was available had an injury associated with
preparation of fresh, whole fish purchased locally. 

---
Edward McSweegan <EMCSWEEGAN@mercury.niaid.nih.gov>
....................................................pc

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PRO/AH/EDR> Streptococcus iniae in human disease (03)

STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE IN HUMAN DISEASE (03)
=========================================

[see 960319 as well as 961003115055 and 961005083239]

We have recently described (MMWR August 2, 1996) infection in humans with 
_Streptococcus iniae_ after they had injured themselves while preparing 
freshly killed whole fish (mostly tilapia).  We have now documented 8 blood 
culture proved and 9 suspect cases since December 1995.  These were all fish 
from the acquaculture industry. 

_S. iniae_ is a cause of meningoencephalitis in fish, especially tilapia, and 
can cause outbreaks in aquaculture ponds with a mortality rate of 20-40% of 
fish.  Although we have found that strains of _S. iniae_ found on the surface 
of tilapia are quite genetically diverse, all of the strains that have caused 
invasive disease in humans and those causing meningoencephalitis in fish 
ponds in Texas are identical, suggesting a particularly pathogenic strain.  I 
wonder if this organism may also be involved in the deaths of the tilapia?

--
Don Low
Mount Sinai Hospital
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
e-mail:<dlow@mtsinai.on.ca>

PROMED-AHEAD: MMWR Contents, Aug. 2 1996

CDC MORBIDITY & MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT CONTENTS, AUG. 2 1996
=============================================================

Date: Fri, 2 Aug 1996 10:00:47 -0500
From: owner-mmwr-toc@list.cdc.gov


The August 2, 1996 edition of the Morbidity and Mortality 
Weekly Report is now available in Adobe Acrobat format on the Internet,
and by e-mail. 

August 2, 1996/Vol. 45/No. 30
-----------------------------
Articles included:

*  Fatalities Associated with Ingestion of Diethylene
   Glycol-Contaminated Glycerin Used to Manufacture Acetaminophen 
   Syrup --- Haiti, November 1995--June 1996
[See also:
Toxic kidney failure - Haiti                           960627
Toxic kidney failure - Haiti (2)                       960627
Toxic kidney failure - Haiti (3): cure?                960702
Toxic kidney failure - Haiti (4): cure                 960705
Toxic kidney failure - Haiti (5): cure                 960705]

*  Invasive Infection with Streptococcus iniae --- Ontario, 1995--1996
[See also:
Streptococcus iniae in human disease (2)               960319
Streptococcus iniae in human disease: RFI              960319]

*  Adequacy of Prenatal-Care Utilization --- California, 1989--1994

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PROMED: Streptococcus iniae in human disease (2)

From: "Dr. Patrick McDonough" <plm2@cornell.edu>
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 15:06:38 -0500

STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE IN HUMAN DISEASE (2)
=========================================

I have done some epidemiology with S. iniae using fatty acid analysis.  I
would be interested in getting any isolates that you have from the
individual and from the fish in question too.  Thanks.

--
Patrick L. McDonough (Pat)
Phone: +1 (607) 253 3900/3927
FAX: +1 (607) 253 3943
E-mail: plm2@cornell.edu
Diagnostic Laboratory,
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York  14853, USA

PROMED: Streptococcus iniae in human disease: RFI

From: psutclif@pmb-nbss.med.utoronto.ca (Penny Sutcliffe)
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 96 17:15:54 -0500

STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE IN HUMAN DISEASE: REQUEST FOR INFO
======================================================

This is a request for information.  We are currently investigating 4
cases of symptomatic Streptococcus iniae infections.  Three of these 
were antibiotic-responsive cases of cellulitis and the fourth, a case of 
sepsis.  At least three of the four had a history of trauma while cleaning
fish.

This organism is a known fish pathogen, but our understanding is that it is 
not a previously reported/recognized human pathogen.  Can anyone provide
further information on this?  

Thank you.

--
P. Sutcliffe, MD, MHSc
Community Medicine Resident
University of Toronto, Canada
e-mail: psutclif@pmb-nbss.med.utoronto.ca

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