Field-Deployable FTA Card for Sampling, Storage and Detection of Aeromonas spp. in Rainbow Trout: Four-Year Ambient DNA Stability Validated
Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries, cilt.6, sa.4, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 6 Sayı: 4
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1002/aff2.70287
- Dergi Adı: Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Aeromonas spp, FTA card, PCR, rainbow trout
- Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Bacterial pathogen detection in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum 1792) aquaculture typically involves multi-step procedures, including sample transport, bacterial isolation, culture and subsequent molecular analysis. Aeromonas salmonicida and Aeromonas hydrophila are major pathogens causing significant losses; however, conventional diagnostic workflows are time-consuming and require cold-chain logistics and contamination-prone handling steps. This study evaluated FTA cards for direct pathogen detection from infected trout tissues without culture, integrating sampling, DNA preservation and PCR-based analysis into a single workflow, targeting two virulence (aerA, hlyA), two housekeeping (gyrB, rpoD) and one antibiotic resistance (sul2) genes. The performance of the FTA-based approach was compared with a standard commercial DNA extraction kit (QIAamp) using tissue samples from 62 rainbow trout collected from commercial farms in Türkiye (n = 200 FTA card samples). PCR amplification from FTA cards was successful for all five target genes in 100% of tested samples, yielding amplicons of equivalent sizes and band intensities to those obtained from kit-extracted DNA. DNA extraction from FTA cards was completed in less than 1 h, with an estimated per-sample cost of approximately $1–$2. All five target genes were also successfully amplified from a subset of 50 cards stored at ambient temperature for 4 years (50/50 cards; 100% amplification success). The simplified workflow allows on-site sampling by farm personnel and shipping at ambient temperature, reducing logistical challenges associated with sample transport and storage. These findings indicate that FTA cards provide a practical and reliable alternative for transport, storage and preservation of Aeromonas spp., particularly for field-based applications where rapid processing and simplified sample handling are required.