Microsporidosis of Lobsters
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Category
Category 3 (Host Not in Canada)
Common, generally accepted names of the organism or disease agent
Microsporidosis of palinurid lobsters.
Scientific name or taxonomic affiliation
Ameson sp.
Geographic distribution
South-west Australia and Torres Strait between Australia and New Guinea.
Host species
Panulirus ornatus and Panulirus cygnus. Similar parasites occur in many species of crabs, shrimp and prawns.
Impact on the host
Numerous microsporidian spores occur in the muscle fibres causing the muscle to appears "milky" or "cooked" in living specimens. Prevalence is low (1/1000-3000) and thus the disease does not appear to be a threat to lobsters in endemic areas. The prevalence of inapparent infections (presumably identifyable by histological examination) is not known.
Diagnostic techniques
Gross Observations
Muscle appears white or "cooked" in living specimens.
Histology
Microsporidial spores (1.4-1.8 by 2.0-2.4 µm) aggregated in packets in muscle fibers. Reproductive stages consisted of sporonts that divided equally to produce two thick walled sporoblasts which differentiated into spores. Infected muscle fibers were hypertrophied with a mean width of 15 µm in comparison to 8.5 µm for unaffected fibers.
Electron Microscopy
Exospore (about 0.1 µm thick) was covered by microvilli. Endospore (about 0.2 µm thick) encapsulated the sporoplasm which contained an isofilar, singly coiled polar filament, a polaroplast with four to six tubular elements and a granular posterior portion, and a posteriorly located nucleus.
Methods of control
No known methods of prevention or control.
References
Dennis, D.M. and B.L. Munday. 1994. Microsporidiosis of palinurid lobsters from Australian waters. Bulletin of the European Association of Fish Pathologists 14: 16-18.
Citation Information
Bower, S.M. (1996): Synopsis of Infectious Diseases and Parasites of Commercially Exploited Shellfish: Microsporidosis of Lobsters.
Date last revised: Fall 1996
Comments to Susan Bower
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