title: Survey of the crayfish plague pathogen presence in the Netherlands reveals a new Aphanomyces astaci carrier.
abstract: North American crayfish species as hosts for the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci contribute to the decline of native European crayfish populations. At least six American crayfish species have been reported in the Netherlands but the presence of this pathogenic oomycete with substantial conservational impact has not yet been confirmed in the country. We evaluated A. astaci prevalence in Dutch populations of six alien crustaceans using species-specific quantitative PCR. These included three confirmed crayfish carriers (Orconectes limosus, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Procambarus clarkii), two recently introduced but yet unstudied crayfish (Orconectes cf. virilis, Procambarus cf. acutus), and a catadromous crab Eriocheir sinensis. Moderate levels of infection were observed in some populations of O. limosus and P. leniusculus. Positive results were also obtained for E. sinensis and two Dutch populations of O. cf. virilis. English population of the latter species was also found infected, confirming this taxon as another A. astaci carrier in European waters. In contrast, Dutch P. clarkii seem only sporadically infected, and the pathogen was not yet detected in P. cf. acutus. Our study is the first confirmation of crayfish plague infections in the Netherlands and demonstrates substantial variation in A. astaci prevalence among potential hosts within a single region, a pattern possibly linked to their introduction history and coexistence.
authors.affiliation: Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tilmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, Prague 2 CZ-12844, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mrugała
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, Prague 2 CZ-12844, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Svoboda
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Edelhertweg 15, 8219 PH Lelystad, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Engelsma
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Edelhertweg 15, 8219 PH Lelystad, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petie
authors.affiliation: Bureau Waardenburg, PO Box 365, 4100 AJ Culemborg, The Netherlands; NCB Naturalis, PO Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Soes
authors.affiliation: The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG Scotland, United Kingdom; Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nutbeam-Tuffs
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oidtmann
authors.affiliation: Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roessink
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, Prague 2 CZ-12844, Czech Republic. Electronic address: petrusek@cesnet.cz.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrusek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044744:Aphanomyces / Q000235:genetics*; D003400:Astacoidea / Q000382:microbiology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D009426:Netherlands; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Aphanomyces astaci; Crayfish plague; Eriocheir sinensis; Host range; Orconectes virilis; Real-time PCR