title: Occurrence of Perkinsus olseni (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) and other parasites in the venerid commercial clam Pitar rostrata from Uruguay, southwestern Atlantic coast.
abstract: A study was conducted into the health status of natural populations of the venerid clam Pitar rostrata from Uruguay. Perkinsus sp. was detected in 22% of the clams. Severe hemocytic infiltration was detected in the tissues parasitized by this protozoan parasite. The sequencing of the ITS-5.8S gene cluster of the parasite confirmed that it belonged to the Perkinsus olseni species. Rickettsia or Chlamidia-like organisms were also found, with a prevalence of 11%, although without apparent host reaction; an unidentified species of Coccidia was found in the nephridia of 78% of the clams, with the intensity of infection ranging from moderate to high. A gregarine, Nematopsis-like organism was observed mainly in the epithelial cells of the intestine, without host response and with a prevalence of 56%. Of the metazoan parasites, trematodes were found in 11% of the individuals analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown s/n, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina. fcremont@cenpat.edu.ar
authors.forename: Florencia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cremonte
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balseiro
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000469:parasitology*; D019295:Computational Biology; D017931:DNA Primers; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004064:Digestive System / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014583:Uruguay
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer