Safety and Potency Testing of Federally Licensed Fish Bacterins

Abstract

Federally licensed fish biologicals include Vibrio anguillarum-V. ordalii and Yersinia ruckeri bacterins. Three commercial firms are licensed to produce and market these bacterins. Standard test procedures are established for the safety and potency testing of Vibrio anguillarum-V. ordalii and Yersinia ruckeri bacterins and are being developed for Aeromonas salmonicida bacterins. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) routinely tests production lots for safety and potency in salmonids, primarily rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Test methods have proven satisfactory with good agreement of test results between those of licensed firms and the NVSL. Recommendations for potency test standards are presented.