Drug Research Information Bulletin - The Efficacy of Aquaflor® to Control Mortality in Freshwater-Reared Salmonids Naturally Infected with Coldwater Disease

Bacterial coldwater disease (CWD; causative agent, Flavobacterium psychrophilum) causes high mortality in cultured freshwater-reared salmonids (LaFrentz et al. 2003). Salmonids ranging from yolk-sac fry to yearlings are susceptible to CWD; typically, the younger the fish, the more severe the disease (Leek 1987). To control mortality, systemic infections require antibiotic treatment (Noga 2000). In the U.S., Aquaflor® (50% florfenicol; Schering Plough Animal Health Corp., Summit, NJ) used under a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)-sponsored Investigational New Animal Drug exemption (INAD No. 10-697) has been shown to be effective in controlling mortality caused by CWD in a variety of freshwater-reared salmonids. To gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) approval, it must be demonstrated that the product is safe and effective.