Tenacibaculum

Tenacibaculum is a gram-negative and motile bacterial genus from the family of Flavobacteriaceae.

Many opportunistic pathogens for fish species are included in the genus Tenacibaculum including Tenacibaculum maritimum, Tenacibaculum soleae, Tenacibaculum discolor, Tenacibaculum gallaicum, and Tenacibaculum dicentrarchi. These pathogens cause an ulcerative disease known as tenacibaculosis. Characteristics of tenacibaculosis include lesions on the body, necrosis, frayed fin, tail rot, eroded mouth, and sometimes necrosis on the gills and eyes. The disease can lead to mortality and can leave afflicted species susceptible to secondary infections from the open lesions. Tenacibaculosis is also known as salt water columnaris disease, gliding bacterial disease of sea fish, bacterial stomatitis, eroded mouth syndrome, and black patch necrosis.