title: Identification of a bacterial pathogen associated with Porites white patch syndrome in the Western Indian Ocean.
abstract: Porites white patch syndrome (PWPS) is a coral disease recently described in the Western Indian Ocean. This study aimed to isolate and identify potential pathogens associated with PWPS utilizing both culture and nonculture screening techniques and inoculation trials. A total of 14 bacterial strains (those dominant in disease lesions, absent or rare in healthy tissues and considered potential pathogens in a previous study) were cultured and used to experimentally inoculate otherwise healthy individuals in an attempt to fulfil Henle-Koch's postulates. However, only one (P180R), identified as closely related (99-100% sequence identity based on 1.4 kb 16S RNA sequence) to Vibrio tubiashii, elicited signs of disease in tank experiments. Following experimental infection (which resulted in a 90% infection rate), the pathogen was also successfully re-isolated from the diseased tissues and re-inoculated in healthy corals colonies, therefore fulfilling the final stages of Henle-Koch's postulates. Finally, we report that PWPS appears to be a temperature-dependent disease, with significantly higher tissue loss (anova: d.f. = 2, F = 39.77, P < 0.01) occurring at 30 °C [1.45 ± 0.85 cm(2) per day (mean ± SE)] compared to ambient temperatures of 28 and 26 °C (0.73 ± 0.80 cm(2) per day (mean ± SE) and 0.51 ± 0.50 cm(2) per day (mean ± SE), respectively).
authors.affiliation: Agence pour la Recherche et la Valorisation Marines (ARVAM), Ste Clotilde, Reunion Island, France.|Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.|IRD - UMR ENTROPIE, Labex CORAIL, CS 41095, 97495, Sainte Clotilde Cedex, La Réunion.
authors.forename: Mathieu G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Séré
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Recherche "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical" (UMR PIMIT), Université de La Réunion, Inserm1187, CNRS9192, IRD249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490, Ste Clotilde, Saint Denis, France.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tortosa
authors.affiliation: IRD - UMR ENTROPIE, Labex CORAIL, CS 41095, 97495, Sainte Clotilde Cedex, La Réunion.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chabanet
authors.affiliation: Agence pour la Recherche et la Valorisation Marines (ARVAM), Ste Clotilde, Reunion Island, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Quod
authors.affiliation: Molecular Health and Disease Laboratory College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, UK.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sweet
authors.affiliation: Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schleyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D019156:Indian Ocean; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013696:Temperature; D014733:Vibrio / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Porites lutea; Vibrio tubiashii; Western Indian Ocean; coral disease; inoculation trials