NUCLEIC-ACID PROBES IN AQUATIC BACTERIOLOGY

The use of nucleic acid probes should facilitate the work of fish pathologists, since results are obtained more rapidly and genome analysis is more accurate. In this short review, the principles of molecular hybridization are mentioned (probe marking; reaction patterns on solid and liquid media; hybrid detection methods). The critical analysis of the first results which have appeared in this field comprised the identification of the bacteria which cause the principle diseases observed in ichthyopathology and bacterial ecology. Analysis also concerns bacteria concentrated by aquatic animals and which are of importance to human health as regards the quality of marine food products.