Bacteria-Affecting Cephalopods

Abstract

Bacterial pathogens contribute to obtain an unsuccessful production of cephalopods. An updated overview of the knowledge of these pathogens must be a valuable tool to improve their aquarium maintenance and aquaculture. The present work provides a description of the main bacterial pathogens associated with larval stages of cultured Octopus vulgaris, and juvenile and adults of several cephalopods. Vibrio species, reported with ability to cause vibriosis in aquaculture, are the main bacteria associated with skin lesions in adults. Different species of Pseudomonas and Aeromonas, among others, have also been detected. Furthermore, gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus have been also described. Among them, V. alginolyticus, V. carchariae, V. parahaemolyticus, V. splendidus and V. lentus have also been isolated from sterile organs or fluids of animals and their potential as invaders proved. However, only V. alginolyticus or V. lentus has the ability to cause lesions, and, in addition, the last one is proved as the causative agent of death in octopuses. Other organs such as eyes of squids are also colonized by Vibrio species or Micrococcus sp., and recently Photobacterium swingsii and Lactococcus garvieae have been reported associated with a retrobulbar lesion in octopus. Rickettsial-like organisms (RLO) are also detected in the gills of the octopus, having a detrimental effect on the respiratory gaseous exchange of the animals. Cultures of octopus paralarvae show a genetically diverse community comparable to those reported previously from other marine hatcheries. Bacteria included in the Splendidus clade is the dominant group in all conditions, except in one of them, where V. alginolyticus, V.

A retrospective study of pathologic findings in cephalopods (extant subclasses: Coleoidea and Nautiloidea) under laboratory and aquarium management

“…11,16 Epitheliocystis-like lesions (ELLs) have been infrequently described in octopuses, in which they have been considered to be Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs) based on histomorphology but have not been characterized at a molecular level. 21,27 Similar infections were found in 3.2% of study octopuses and were consistently located in the gill epithelial cells. Comparatively, histomorphologically similar Rickettsia or Chlamydia-like organisms in mollusks have been identified as gammaproteobacterial-Endozoicomonadaceae.…”

“…During the period May 2003 to August 2022, 593 cephalopod submissions representing 22 species from 4 orders (Octopoda, Sepiida, Sepiolida, and Nautilida) were submitted. Common octopus (193), European common cuttlefish (90), hummingbird bobtail squid (21), and chambered nautilus (89) were the most numerous species (Table 1 and Supplemental Table S1). Fig.…”

Ocular anatomy and correlation with histopathologic findings in two common octopuses (Octopusvulgaris) and one giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopusdofleini) diagnosed with inflammatory phakitis and retinitis

“…The most common bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infectious agents causing systemic diseases in octopuses are Vibrio sp., Labyrinthulomycetes, and Aggregata sp., respectively. [29][30][31] Skin lesions are seen in octopuses with Vibrio and Labyrinthulomycetes infections, but only the former is known to also colonize the eyes, while Photobacterium swingsii and Lactococcus garvieae have been associated with retrobulbar lesions in the octopus. 30,31 Octopus #1 had clusters of coccidal parasites, identified as Aggregata sp., in its extraocular blood vessels and tissues.…”

Qualitative Analysis of Culturable Gut Microbes of Selected Cephalopod Species- A Comparative Study

“…Previous studies indicated that healthy octopuses and squids are associated mainly with Vibrio sps followed by members of other genera such as Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Staphylococcus or Streptococcus sps. 27 . The presence of Stenotrophomonas sp., Alcaligenes sps, Pseudomonas sps, and Myroides sps require detailed study to assess their role as opportunistic pathogens that can affect human life or probable probiotics, or in bioremediation, production of antibiotics or other industrial uses 28,29 .…”