Alteration of the Immune Response and the Microbiota of the Skin during a Natural Infection by Vibrio harveyi in European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Disease outbreaks continue to represent one of the main bottlenecks for the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. In marine aquaculture, many species from the Vibrio genus are serious opportunistic pathogens responsible for significant losses to producers. In this study, the effects on the immune response and the skin microbiota of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were studied after a natural disease outbreak caused by V. harveyi. Data obtained from infected and non-infected fish were studied and compared. Regarding the local immune response (skin mucus) a decrease in the protease activity was observed in infected fish. Meanwhile, at a systemic level, a decrease in protease and lysozyme activity was reported while peroxidase activity showed a significant increase in serum from infected fish. A clear dysbiosis was observed in the skin mucus microbiota of infected fish in comparison with non-infected fish. Moreover, V. harveyi, was identified as a biomarker for the infected group and Rubritalea for healthy fish. This study highlights the importance of characterizing the mucosal surfaces and microbial composition of the skin mucus (as a non-invasive technique) to detect potential disease outbreaks in fish farms.