A tetrodotoxin-producing marine pathogen

Article Abstract:

A strong new marine pathogen that prompted a sudden die-off of the sea urchin Meoma ventricosa in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, in Jan 1997 has been shown to be a neurotoxin-producing bacterium that is closely connected with the deadly Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis tetraodonis, which produces tetrodotoxin. A range of marine organisms are known to contain tetrodotoxin, but it is most closely associated with pufferfish. This is believed to be the first report of an epizootic affecting M. ventricosa.

Sea urchins, Tetrodotoxin

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Caribbean sea-fan mortalities

Article Abstract:

A new species of Aspergillus has been found to be the cause of mass mortality of Caribbean sea fans for more than 15 years. Diseased samples of two species of sea fan, Gorgonia ventalina and Gorgonia flabellum, showed the presence of conidiophores similar to those produced by Aspergillus. An isolate was used to INNculate health G. ventalina and the area manifested symptoms of the fungus within three days. The isolate was later confirmed as more similar to Aspergillus fumigatis than to any other species in the GenBank database.

Aspergillus, Identification and classification, Marine fauna, Marine animals

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Cause of sea fan death in the West Indies

Article Abstract:

An Aspergillus fungus is the probably cause of epizootic infections causing the mass mortality of sea fan corals during the past 15 years. Four strains of the fungus involved are from the Aspergillus sydowii species, and isolates caused new infections in inoculation experiments. The virulence of A. sydowii was further tested using isolates from non-marine environments, and two from sea fans. It was concluded that isolates of A. sydowii from diseased sea fans have pathogenic potential not observed in isolates from other sources.

Corals, Communicable diseases in animals, Communicable animal diseases

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