title: A novel bacterial infection of the edible crab, Cancer pagurus.
abstract: There are few reports of bacterial diseases in crabs. A juvenile edible crab (Cancer pagurus) with a rickettsial-like infection was found in the intertidal zone at Freshwater East in South West Wales in July, 2012. Large numbers of bacteria-like particles were found in the haemolymph and within fixed phagocytes of the hepatopancreas. Molecular sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis showed that the infectious agent was a member of the order Rhizobiales and therefore distinct to bacteria classified as rickettsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Tara J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Thrupp
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Miranda M A
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Whitten
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK. Electronic address: a.f.rowley@swansea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrew F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Rowley
mesh_terms: D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000382:microbiology*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000382:microbiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Bacterial septicaemia; Crustacean; Rickettsia-like infections