Epidemiological cut off values for aquatic bacteria

The use of robust, internationally agreed, harmonised testing methods when generating data on the antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens that affect aquatic animals is vital. The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) have developed such approaches that can be used for many of these pathogens against a wide range of antibiotics.

The next step is to establish agreed methods for interpreting the resulting data for many important pathogens, as outlined in Smith (2020; Dis Aquat Org 139:87–92). Such methodological guidelines are needed to ensure reliable comparison of data generated by different laboratories. The aim of this Special Issue is to collect relevant research and to publish proposed interpretative criteria for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of aquatic bacteria. A group of international laboratories has been assembled for this purpose, aiming to undertake harmonised testing of a range of significant aquaculture pathogens, using standard EUCAST and CLSI methods. Relevant contributions from other laboratory assemblages are welcome and encouraged. The submitted data will be reviewed to develop agreed interpretive criteria (epidemiological cut-off values, abbreviated as ECOFFs [by EUCAST] or ECVs [by CLSI]), to be presented as final contribution to the Special Issue.

Status: open for submissions. Submission deadline: 30 June 2025

Organizers: Andrew C. Barnes, Peter Smith, David W. Verner-Jeffreys

Editors: Andrew C. Barnes, Alicia E. Toranzo

Contact for questions: Mae Rose Rossteuscher (Associate Managing Editor)

Important notice to authors:

If you wish to contribute your work to this Special, please follow the regular Guidelines for Authors as well as the ECOVAB-specific guidelines to prepare and submit your manuscript.

Articles belonging to this Special are published upon completion in the respective issue of DAO. They are listed below as well as on the contents page of the respective issue of publication.

Smith P

OPINION PIECE: Eight rules for improving the quality of papers on the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria isolated from aquatic animals

DAO 139:87-92 | Full text in pdf format

Smith P, Cortinovis L, Pretto T, Manfrin A, Florio D, Fioravanti M, Baron S, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Le Breton A, Picon-Camacho S, Zupičić IG, Oraić D, Zrnčić S

Setting epidemiological cut-off values for Vibrio harveyi relevant to MIC data generated by a standardised microdilution method

DAO 155:35-42 | Full text in pdf format

Smith P, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Larvor E, Le Breton A, Picon-Camacho S, Zrnčić S, Zupičić IG, Oraić D, Karataş S, Verner-Jeffreys D, Joseph AW, Light E, van Essen-Zandbergen A, van Gelderen B, Voorbergen-Laarman M, Haenen OLM, Veldman KT, Madsen L, Mouritsen KK, Smith Svanevik C, Håkonsholm F, Vela AI, García M, Florio D, Fioravanti M, Cortinovis L, Pretto T, Manfrin A, Baron S

Epidemiological cut-off values for Vibrio anguillarum MIC and disc diffusion data generated by standardised methods

DAO 155:109-123 | Full text in pdf format

Smith P, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Larvor E, Lesne J, Kirschner AKT, Rehm C, Leopold M, Pleininger S, Heger F, Jäckel C, Göllner C, Nekat J, Hammerl JA, Baron S

Epidemiological cut-off values for non-O1/ non-O139 Vibrio cholerae disc diffusion data generated by standardised methods

DAO 156:115-121 | Full text in pdf format

Smith P, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Larvor E, Verner-Jeffreys D, Joseph AW, Stanton E, Light E, Cortinovis L, Pretto T, Manfrin A, Boitard PM, Jamin M, Keck N, Le Breton A, Thuillier B, Ravaille C, Baron S

Epidemiological cut-off values for Yersina ruckeri disc diffusion data generated by a standardised method

DAO 158:21-25 | Full text in pdf format

Smith P, Buba E, Desbois AP, Adams A, Verner-Jeffreys D, Joseph A, Light E, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Larvor E, Boitard PM, Jamin M, Keck N, Le Breton A, Thuillier B, Ravaille C, Morin T, Baron S

Setting epidemiological cut-off values relevant to MIC and disc diffusion data for Aeromonas salmonicida generated by a standard method

DAO 159:29-35 | Full text in pdf format

Smith P, Joseph A, Baker-Austin C, Kang N, Baron S, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Chisnall T, Davies AR, Schwarz S, Feßler AT, Ahrens T, Jahnen J, Alter T, Fleischmann S, Hammerl JA, Jäckel C, Gieseker CM, Crosby TC, Kittel EC, Miller RA, Alexander T, Carranza K, Burbick CB, Ching B, Soh JH, Chng YR, Wong WK, Fernandez CJ, Chang SF, Verner-Jeffreys D, Powell A

Epidemiological cut-off values for Vibrio parahaemolyticus calculated from minimal inhibitory concentration data generated at 35 and 28°C

DAO 160:127-134 | Full text in pdf format