ISSN:
1365-2761
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Healthy lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey), were inoculated with Vibrio carchariae and V. damsela, two vibrios known to cause disease in other shark species. Vibrio damsela was not recovered from the inoculated sharks; V. carchariae infected the healthy lemon sharks, but did not produce clinically observable disease. However, histological evaluation revealed active splenic and hepatic disease with Gram-negative bacteria found in association with mononuclear cells. When the experiment was repeated with a physiologically compromised lemon shark, V. carchariae was lethal for the test animal, but V. damsela was again cleared. Vibrio carchariae was also isolated from skin lesions of a lemon shark infested with monogeneans (Dermophthirius nigrellii). Histological evidence indicated that this shark died of protozoan infection. Thus, lemon sharks are susceptible to infection with V. carchariae which can cause subclinical disease in otherwise healthy specimens. We suggest that D. nigrellii may act as a vector of V. carchariae and that stress plays a role in the clinical manifestation of this disease.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2761.1985.tb01212.x
