Loading...
Effect Of Salinity On Infection Progression And Pathogenicity Of Perkinsus-Marinus In The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea-Virginica (Gmelin)
Ragone, Lisa M. Burreson, Eugene M.
Ragone, Lisa M.
Burreson, Eugene M.
Abstract
The effect of salinity on Perkinsus marinus, a protozoan pathogen of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin 1791) was investigated. Oysters parasitized by P. marinus were exposed in the laboratory to 6, 9, 12, and 20 ppt at a temperature ranging from 20-25-degrees-C, for an eight week period. Infection prevalence and intensity were assessed in samples (n = 25) from each treatment following 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of exposure and oyster mortality was determined daily. The pathogen persisted, at high prevalences, throughout the course of the experiment at all treatment salinities; however, P. marinus infection development was retarded at 12 ppt and did not progress at 6 and 9 ppt. Cumulative oyster mortalities progressively increased with increasing salinity and at the termination of the experiment were 9.1, 11.6, 2 1. 1, and 27.8 percent at 6, 9, 12, and 20 ppt, respectively. A critical range for parasite pathogenicity apparently exists between 9 and 12 ppt. Although P. marinus is able to tolerate salinities as low as 6 ppt it is less virulent at salinities below 9 ppt.
Description
Date
1993
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Collections
Download Dataset
Files
Loading...
ragone1993.pdf
Adobe PDF, 2.13 MB
Rights Holder
Usage License
Embargo
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Aquatic Health Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles, Perkinsus; Oyster; Salinity
Citation
Advisor
Department
Virginia Institute of Marine Science