Nutritional immunity regulates the homeostasis of micronutrients such as iron, manganese, and zinc at the systemic and cellular levels, preventing the invading microorganisms from gaining access and thereby limiting their growth. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the activation of nutritional immunity in specimens of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that are intraperitoneally stimulated with both live and inactivatedPiscirickettsia salmonis. The study used liver tissue and blood/plasma samples on days 3, 7, and 14 post-injections (dpi) for the analysis. Genetic material (DNA) ofP. salmoniswas detected in the liver tissue of fish stimulated with both live and inactivatedP. salmonisat 14 dpi. Additionally, the hematocrit percentage decreased at 3 and 7 dpi in fish stimulated with liveP. salmonis, unchanged in fish challenged with inactivatedP. salmonis. On the other hand, plasma iron content decreased during the experimental course in fish stimulated with both live and inactivatedP. salmonis, although this decrease was statistically significant only at 3 dpi. Regarding the immune-nutritional markers such astfr1,dmt1, andireg1were modulated in the two experimental conditions, compared tozip8,ft-h, andhamp, which were down-regulated in fish stimulated with live and inactivatedP. salmonisduring the course experimental. Finally, the intracellular iron content in the liver increased at 7 and 14 dpi in fish stimulated with live and inactivatedP. salmonis, while the zinc content decreased at 14 dpi under both experimental conditions. However, stimulation with live and inactivatedP. salmonisdid not alter the manganese content in the fish. The results suggest that nutritional immunity does not distinguish between live and inactivatedP. salmonisand elicits a similar immune response. Probably, this immune mechanism would be self-activated with the detection of PAMPs, instead of a sequestration and/or competition of micronutrients by the living microorganism.