Immune status of the spiny lobster Jasus edwardsii with tail fan necrosis

Potential virulence factors of bacteria associated with tail fan necrosis in the spiny lobster, Jasus edwardsii

“…The bacterial melanin can protect bacteria from unfavourable conditions (Garcia‐Rivera & Casadevall, ; Moeller et al., ; Tada et al., ), and the ability to tolerate melanin may exacerbate the TFN by protecting bacteria from the immune response and antimicrobial activities of lobsters (Brisbin et al., ; Perdomo‐Morales et al., ). Furthermore, the ability to tolerate melanin may also help bacteria survive and gain access into the haemolymph through sites of melanized TFN, resulting in the possible subsequent bacterial infection in haemolymph (Zha, Jeffs et al., unpublished data) and a decreased immune response of lobsters (Zha, Lewis et al., ), which is likely to further exacerbate the TFN.…”

“…For instance, the phenoloxidase activity in the haemolymph of juvenile Pacific white shrimp significantly decreased when the shrimps were exposed to different levels of ammonia (Zhang et al., ). As our previous study has indicated that TFN is associated with diminished immune status in lobsters (Zha, Lewis et al., ), any release of ammonia by the bacteria in infected tissues is likely to be associated with TFN and impact lobster health.…”

“…Different types of classical shell disease have been described in American lobsters ( Homarus americanus ), including epizootic shell disease, enzootic shell disease, impoundment shell disease, diet‐induced shell disease and black spot shell disease (Chistoserdov, Quinn, Gubbala, & Smolowitz, ; Chistoserdov et al., ; Quinn, Cawthorn et al., ; Shields, ). In many instances, bacterial infections have been associated with classic shell disease in lobsters, especially bacteria possessing chitinolytic activity, often in combination with proteolytic and lipolytic activities (Arias‐Barrau et al., ; Mancuso et al., ; Quinn, Cawthorn et al., ; Suginta, ; Vogan, Powell, & Rowley, ; Zha, Jeffs, Dong, & Lewis, ).…”

“…TFN in spiny lobsters is most typically characterized by the erosion and blackening of the uropods and telsons that make up the tail fan (Freeman & Macdiarmid, ; Musgrove, Geddes, & Thomas, ; Shields, ). TFN is reported to compromise the overall health and immune status of spiny lobsters (Musgrove et al., ; Vogan et al., ; Zha, Lewis et al., ).…”

Bryozoan Fouling of the American Lobster (Homarus americanus) Following the 1999 Die-Off in Long Island Sound, USA

“…The unsightly nature of epibionts, as with epizootic shell disease (ESD), affected the commercial value of the lobsters (Shields et al 2006, Gomez-Chiarri & Cobb 2012. This has been a problem not just for the Long Island Sound (LIS) American lobster fishery in this study (Landers 2005), but for crab, spiny lobster, and shellfish fisheries in general (Stentiford 2008, Watson et al 2009, Zha et al 2017.…”