Perkinsus Olseni

[ZephNYC]

Now that this has become a stickie ( Thank you TJ), we need to start with the FACTS and not opinions. So to get things in proper order lets talk about what actually causes the disease and new information I have come across.

 

According to a report from the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory of Maine, 2009

 

"Pinched mantle syndrome as we describe it, is likely caused by Perkinsus olseni and possibly another unidentified species that parasitize a tremendous variety of mollusks throughout the world. The parasite probably originated in the Indo Pacific region and is now undergoing GLOBAL EXPANSION. It has been detected in Europe and most recently South America. It is not clear exactly how it arrived in the western hemisphere, but most likely was transferred through contaminated shellfish. It is considered a reportable disease by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

 

Shockingly, Perkinsus are very closely related to malaria and toxoplasma parasites of humans.The first species of Perkinsus was described in 1946 from a massive oyster die out in Louisiana (Ray 1996). Perkinsus olseni was not described until 1980 as a parasite in abalone colonies in S. Australia. So you see, this parasite is hot and new and has only been recognized the last 35 years or so. This is why so much is unclear because there is not much funding for this type of research.

 

Going against what I believed earlier, it is proposed that there is three life stages of the pathogen, and it does indeed have a dormant stage .It is called a TROPHOZOITE, and it is the vegetative form that persists within the tissue of the host clam.

"It is reasonable to consider that a carrier state may exist in clinically normal clams"

[albertthiel]

Now that this has become a stickie ( Thank you TJ), we need to start with the FACTS and not opinions. So to get things in proper order lets talk about what actually causes the disease and new information I have come across.

 

According to a report from the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory of Maine, 2009

 

"Pinched mantle syndrome as we describe it, is likely caused by Perkinsus olseni and possibly another unidentified species that parasitize a tremendous variety of mollusks throughout the world. The parasite probably originated in the Indo Pacific region and is now undergoing GLOBAL EXPANSION. It has been detected in Europe and most recently South America. It is not clear exactly how it arrived in the western hemisphere, but most likely was transferred through contaminated shellfish. It is considered a reportable disease by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

 

Shockingly, Perkinsus are very closely related to malaria and toxoplasma parasites of humans.The first species of Perkinsus was described in 1946 from a massive oyster die out in Louisiana (Ray 1996). Perkinsus olseni was not described until 1980 as a parasite in abalone colonies in S. Australia. So you see, this parasite is hot and new and has only been recognized the last 35 years or so. This is why so much is unclear because there is not much funding for this type of research.

 

Going against what I believed earlier, it is proposed that there is three life stages of the pathogen, and it does indeed have a dormant stage .It is called a TROPHOZOITE, and it is the vegetative form that persists within the tissue of the host clam.

"It is reasonable to consider that a carrier state may exist in clinically normal clams"

 

Link to a scientific article on Perkensis olseni and research done on it ... indeed a devastating parasite for amongst others the clams we like to keep, and that is besides the other forms of Perkensis such as marinus which has been discussed on other threads

 

http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Heal...06_P_OLSENI.pdf

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Link to a scientific article on Perkensis olseni and research done on it ... indeed a devastating parasite for amongst others the clams we like to keep, and that is besides the other forms of Perkensis such as marinus which has been discussed on other threads

 

http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Heal...06_P_OLSENI.pdf

 

Albert

 

Here is an additional link for P olseni

 

http://www.eurl-mollusc.eu/Main-activities...erkinsus-olseni

 

and another more detailed one

 

http://www.terrapub.co.jp/onlineproceeding...f/nu2010269.pdf

 

and info on P. olseni and P. atlanticus which now seem to have been found to be the same

 

http://www.vims.edu/research/departments/e...s/3.1.5_PER.pdf

 

Albert