| Flavobacterium columnare | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Pseudomonadati |
| Phylum: | Bacteroidota |
| Class: | Flavobacteriia |
| Order: | Flavobacteriales |
| Family: | Flavobacteriaceae |
| Genus: | Flavobacterium |
| Species: | F. columnare |
| Binomial name | |
| Flavobacterium columnare (Bernardet and Grimont 1989) Bernardet et al. 1996 [1] | |
Flavobacterium columnare is a thin Gram-negative rod bacterium of the genus Flavobacterium . The name derives from the way in which the organism grows in rhizoid columnar formations. [2]
The species was first described by Davis (1922), and the name was validated by Bernardet and Grimont (1989). [3]
Flavobacterium columnare can be identified in the laboratory by a five-step method that demonstrates:
- the ability to grow on a medium containing neomycin and polymyxin B
- production of yellow pigmented rhizoid (root-like in appearance) colonies
- production of a gelatin-degrading enzyme
- binding of Congo red dye to the colony
- production of a chondroitin sulfate-degrading enzyme [4]
The species has been known previously as Flexibacter columnaris, Bacillus columnaris, and Cytophaga columnaris.
Flavobacterium columnare is one of the oldest known diseases among warm-water fish, and manifests itself as an infection commonly known as columnaris. Infections are the second leading cause of mortality in pond raised catfish in the southeastern United States. [4] Early treatment with potassium permanganate has been shown to increase survival rate, although the difference was not statistically significant. [5]
