DAO prepress abstract - doi: 10.3354/dao01922
First report of a Mikrocytos-like parasite in European oysters Ostrea edulis from Canada after transport and quarantine in France
N. Gagnˆ©*, N. Cochennec, M. Stephenson, S. McGladdery, G. R. Meyer, S. M. Bower
ABSTRACT: As part of a disease resistance experiment, 112 apparently healthy European flat oysters, Ostrea edulis L., were exported from Canada (Nova Scotia) into France to test their susceptibility to Bonamia ostreae infection. Twelve oysters died in transit and 17 others died within two weeks of laboratory quarantine acclimation. All oysters were examined histologically and the 17 that died during quarantine were assayed for microcells (Bonamia sp. and Mikrocytos mackini) using molecular techniques. A microcell parasite was detected in the connective tissue of 5 of the 112 oysters. Morphological appearance, tissue affinity and molecular characterization through PCR, ISH, FISH and sequencing have revealed a protist related to Mikrocytos mackini. This is the first report of a parasite of the genus Mikrocytos in a species belonging to the genus Ostrea from the Atlantic Ocean.