Mass Mortality of Japanese Abalone Haliotis discus hannai Caused by Vibrio harveyi Infection

• Published in: Microbes and Environments Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 300 - 308
• Main Authors: Sawabe, Tomoo, Inoue, Sahoko, Fukui, Youhei, Yoshie, Kaoru, Nishihara, Yutaka, Miura, Hiroki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Miyagi Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology / Japanese Society of Soil Microbiology / Taiwan Society of Microbial Ecology / Japanese Society of Plant Microbe Interactions / Japanese Society for Extremophiles 01-01-2007; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Ezo abalone; mass mortality; Vibrio harveyi
• ISSN: 1342-6311; 1347-4405
• DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.22.300

Sixty thousand of deaths among cultured Ezo abalone Haliotis discus hannai occurred within a few days at an abalone farm in Japan in the middle of August, 2002. Dead animals were characterized by a hemolymphatic edema around the major circulatory system. Vibrios showing swarming motility dominated in the edema. The pathogenic vibrios were identified as Vibrio harveyi based on a phylogenetic analysis and a phenotypic characterization. In both immersion and injection experiments, the swarming vibrios fulfilled Koch's postulates as a pathogen for Ezo abalone. Using a GFP-tagged V. harveyi S20, a clump of bacterium was detected on the gills of the abalone within 48 hours after contact with the bacterium. This is the first report of V. harveyi infection in Ezo abalone Haliotis discus hannai.