Gene expression profiling of catfish after treatment with copper sulfate and exposure to Flavobacterium columnare

Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease, produces substantial mortality during the production of freshwater farmed finfish species. F. columnare is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, and outbreaks of disease are often triggered during the spring and summer months of the catfish production cycle.

As food fish production continues to increase, the frequency of columnaris disease will only continue to rise within the aquaculture industry and thus new preventative measures will be required. Copper sulfate is the most common algaecide used in aquaculture. Copper sulfate has also been suggested as a therapeutant for columnaris disease, as we have previously discovered copper sulfate treatment effects the survivability and gill histology of channel catfish during an infection with F. columnare.