RESUMO
In bivalve mollusk aquaculture, massive disease outbreaks with high mortality and large economic losses can occur, as in northwest Mexico in the 1990s. A range of pathogens can affect bivalves; one of great concern is ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1), of which there are several strains. This virus has been detected in the Gulf of California in occasional or sporadic samplings, but to date, there have been few systematic studies. Monthly samples of Crassostrea gigas, water, and sediment were taken in the La Cruz coastal lagoon and analyzed by PCR. The native mollusk, Dosinia ponderosa, which lives outside the lagoon, was sampled as a control. The virus was found throughout the year only in C. gigas, with prevalence up to 60%. In total, 9 genotype variants were detected, and genetic analysis suggests that linear genotypic evolution has occurred from strain JF894308, present in La Cruz in 2011. There has been no evidence of the entry of new viral genotypes in the recent past, thus confinement of the virus within the lagoons of the Gulf of California could promote a native genotypic diversity in the short term.
Assuntos
Crassostrea , Animais , California , Vírus de DNA , Genótipo , México , PrevalênciaRESUMO
This is the first record of the copepod Pseudomyicola spinosus in the scallop Argopecten ventricosus in northwestern Mexico, and describes: (1) the known annual prevalence and intensity of this copepod on scallops from culture sites (Gulf of California) and natural populations (Pacific coast), (2) the histopathological effects caused on the soft tissues of scallops, and (3) the relationship between prevalence and intensity records and environmental parameters. The copepod was present throughout the period of investigation, showing similar prevalence and ratio of copepod to scallop patterns in both cultured scallops and wild specimens from natural habitats. Highest prevalence and ratio values were detected in summer-autumn at both sites, probably because scallops showed a weak condition from the combined effects of spawning, reabsorption of residual gametes, and high temperature. The condition index of A. ventricosus showed a significant correlation with the presence of the copepod in Magdalena Bay (-0.67). P. spinosus was observed in the gills of scallops, producing alterations or rupture of filaments, and in the stomach, causing detachment and loss of the epithelium. No relationship between copepod infestation with temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, and seston were found during the investigation. Although P. spinosus was present year-round at both sites, no association between infestation and scallop mortalities was detected.