Table 1.
Design of experimental challeng trials
| Fish size | Group | # of fish | Dose and Application | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult fish | Gp. 1 A | 10 | 0.5 mL (i.p.), S. epidermedis | - |
| Gp. 2 A | 10 | 0.5 ml (IP), Sterile PBS | - | |
| Juvenile fish | Gp. 1 J | 10 | 0.1 mL (IP), S. epidermedis | - |
| Gp. 2 J | 10 | 0.1 ml (IP), Sterile PBS | - | |
| Gp. 3 J | 10 | (Imm.), water containing S. epidermedis | Scale removal | |
| Gp. 4 J | 10 | (Imm.), water | Scale removal | |
| Gp. 5 J | 10 | (Imm.), water containing S. epidermedis | - | |
| Gp. 6 J | 10 | (Imm.), water | - | |
| Fingerlings | Gp. 1 F | 20 | (Imm.), water containing S. epidermedis | Scale removal |
| Gp. 2 F | 20 | (Imm.), water | Scale removal | |
| Gp. 3 F | 20 | (Imm.), water containing S. epidermedis | - | |
| Gp. 4 F | 20 | (Imm.), water | - | |
| Gp. 5 F | 20 | Absolute control | - |
A Adult fish, J Juvenile fish, F Fingerlings, IP Intraperitoneal injection, PBS Phosphate Buffer Saline, Imm. prolonged immersion for 1 h, scale removal: Scraping approximately 1.0 cm of the lateral body surface for juvenile fish and about 0.2 cm for fingerlings, absolute control: Fingerlings were kept unexposed to any experimental interference