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A synopsis of juvenile oyster disease (JOD) experimental studies in Crassostrea virginica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 1996

Earl J. Lewis
Affiliation:
National Marine Fisheries Service, Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, 904 S. Morris St., Oxford, Maryland 21654-9724, USA
C. Austin Farley
Affiliation:
National Marine Fisheries Service, Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, 904 S. Morris St., Oxford, Maryland 21654-9724, USA
Eugene B. Small
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
Ana M. Baya
Affiliation:
Maryland Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA
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Abstract

In the late 1980's juvenile oysters, Crassostrea virginica, spawned and cultured in New England and New York, began experiencing up to nearly 100% mortalities in some batches of juveniles. The cause of these mortalities was not ascertained immediately, but examination of dead and dying oysters did not reveal a previously recognized disease syndrome. Early studies showed that it was not an environmental or genetic problem, thus we hypothesized that a new, transmissible disease agent caused the observed mortality. This was verified under laboratory conditions where the disease was readily transmissible. Transmission was enhanced by warm water temperatures, 22–26 °C, and salinities of 18–30 ppt. Also, the infectious agent was filterable and sensitive to erythromycin, supporting the hypothesis that the causative agent may be a protistan parasite in the 2–6 μm size range. No evidence to support a viral or bacterial etiology was found.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© IFREMER-Gauthier-Villars, 1996

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