Publication Abstract

Susceptibility of a number of bivalve species to the protozoan parasite Bonamia ostreae and their ability to act as vectors for this parasite

The relative susceptibility of a number of bivalve species to the protozoan parasite Bonamia ostreae and their ability to act as vectors for this parasite

S.C. Culloty, B. Novoa, M. Pernas, M. Longshaw, M.F. Mulcahy, S.W/ Feist and A. Figueras

The protozoan parasite Bonamia ostreae is a serious pathogen of the native flat oyster Ostrea edulis. Field and laboratory based experiments were carried out in Ireland, England and Spain to investigate the susceptibility of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, the mussels Mytilus edulis and Mytilus galloprovincialis, the native clam Ruditapes decussatus and the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum to this protozoan and their ability to act as vectors or intermediate hosts was also investigated. The study demonstrated that flat oysters can be successfully infected both naturally in the field and experimentally in the laboratory and the disease can be transmitted directly between flat oysters in the laboratory. However, the other bivalves tested could not be infected with the parasite either naturally or experimentally and these bivalves did not appear to act as vectors or intermediate hosts for the parasite.

Reference:

S.C. Culloty, B. Novoa, M. Pernas, M. Longshaw, M.F. Mulcahy, S.W/ Feist and A. Figueras, 1998. The relative susceptibility of a number of bivalve species to the protozoan parasite Bonamia ostreae and their ability to act as vectors for this parasite. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 37: 73-80

S.C. Culloty, B. Novoa, M. Pernas, M. Longshaw*, M.F. Mulcahy, S.W. Feist* and A. Figueras

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 37: 73-80