Vibrio splendidus clade associated with a disease affecting Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) in Sardinia (Western Mediterranean)

Daniele Grech; Daniela Mandas; Simone Farina; Ivan Guala; Roberto Brundu; Benedetto Cristo; Pier Augusto Panzalis; Fulvio Salati; Francesca Carella

doi:10.1016/j.jip.2022.107783

Vibrio splendidus clade associated with a disease affecting Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) in Sardinia (Western Mediterranean)

J Invertebr Pathol. 2022 Jul:192:107783. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107783. Epub 2022 Jun 6.

Authors

Daniele Grech¹, Daniela Mandas², Simone Farina³, Ivan Guala¹, Roberto Brundu⁴, Benedetto Cristo⁵, Pier Augusto Panzalis⁶, Fulvio Salati², Francesca Carella⁷

Affiliations

¹ IMC - International Marine Centre, Torregrande, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
² Fish Diseases and Aquaculture Center, State Veterinary Institute, IZS of Sardinia, 09170 Oristano, Italy.
³ Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn-National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Genoa Marine Centre, Villa del Principe, Piazza del Principe 4, 16126 Genoa, Italy; Istituto per lo studio degli Impatti Antropici e Sostenibilità in ambiente marino (IAS) - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Torre Grande (OR), Italy.
⁴ Marine Protected Area of Penisola del Sinis - Isola di Mal di Ventre, 09072 Cabras, Italy.
⁵ Istituto Amsicora, 07026 Olbia, Italy.
⁶ Marine Protected Area of Tavolara - Punta Coda Cavallo, 07026 Olbia, Italy.
⁷ Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease, Department of Biology MSA, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy.

PMID: 35671794
DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107783

Abstract

This work reports for the first time the so-called bald sea urchin disease of the populations of Paracentrotus lividus in Sardinia (Italy). Following the disease occurrence reported by local fishermen of about 35% on the collected specimens for commercial purpose, the phenomenon was evaluated in two areas. Animals displayed external lesions represented by loss of spines and greenish/brownish skeleton patches. Microscopy of exoskeleton and tube feet showed haemocytosis with associated bacteria; gut and intestine histopathology revealed inflammatory lesions of different type and intensity. Microbiological and molecular analysis revealed the presence of the strains belonging to the Vibrio splendidus clade. Due to the important ecological role of Paracentrotus lividus in the Mediterranean Sea, this report represents a wake-up call for the entire basin worth of further insights.

Keywords: Animal pathology; Paracentrotus lividus; Sardinia; Sea Urchin Bald Disease; Vibrio splendidus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Italy
Mediterranean Sea
Paracentrotus*
Vibrio*

Supplementary concepts

Vibrio splendidus