Effect of whole cell (wc) and outer membrane protein (omp) vaccines on protection of catla catla against columnaris disease of flavobacterium columnare

Recent studies evaluated that immunoproteomic vaccines provide protection against bacterial infections in fish aquaculture and the vaccines are popular due to its long lasting immunity, safety and low cost versatile characteristics. In this study we used Whole cell – Formalin Killed (WC) and Outer Membrane Protein (OMP) of F. Columnare as a vaccine to provide protection against columnaris disease in fish Catla catla. We used the extract of Asparagus racemosus as an adjuvant in the vaccine preparation. Survival of the vaccinated fishes (30 and 60 days’ post vaccination (dpv)), were evaluated after challenge with virulent F. columnare. The results showed that the relative percentage of survival in the catla fish groups vaccinated by Outer Membrane Protein (OMP) vaccine with adjuvtant were significantly higher than that the other types of vaccines (92%).  The vaccine treated experimental groups significantly improved (P<0.05) the survival at 50% compared to the controls.