title: Pilot study of the Olympia oyster Ostrea conchaphila in the San Francisco Bay estuary: description and distribution of diseases.
abstract: Olympia oysters Ostrea conchaphila have declined markedly during the last century and are a focus of restoration in many embayments, including the San Francisco Bay (SFB) estuary. Oysters were collected from 17 sites in this estuary and nearby Tomales Bay in an effort to characterize diseases that may impact recovery of this species and captive rearing programs. Three diseases/disease agents including a Mikrocytos-like protist (microcell), a haplosporidian and hemic neoplasia were observed from several sites along the western margins of the SFB estuary suggesting a geographic localization of disease presence. Based on fluoresecent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays, the microcell is distinct from M. mackini and Bonamia spp. These data highlight the need for further elucidation of the haplosporidian and for careful health management of a declining species destined for captive rearing and supplementation.
authors.affiliation: School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355020, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. carolynf@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Carolyn S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Ewing
authors.forename: Frederick J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Gary N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Cherr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods*; D002140:California; D041602:Haplosporida; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000382:microbiology*