A Naïve Population of European Oyster Ostrea edulis with Reduced Susceptibility to the Pathogen Bonamia ostreae: Are S-Strategy Life Traits Providing Protection?

European populations of the native flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, have been heavily depleted by two protozoan parasites, Marteila refringens and Bonamia ostreae, with mortalities of up to 90% reported in naïve populations. However, in studies carried out over a 10-year period, researching the parasite-host relationship of B. ostreae and O.

Investigating the significance of the role of Ostrea edulis larvae in the transmission and transfer of Bonamia ostreae.

In this study, the ability of oyster larvae, brooded in the pallial cavity of the parent oyster, to become infected in the pallial fluid, which is influenced by the brooding oyster and surrounding environment, was investigated. Larvae were collected over three summers from three areas around Ireland. Samples were screened for the presence of Bonamia ostreae DNA using PCR analysis.

Thirty-year history of Irish (Rossmore) Ostrea edulis selectively bred for disease resistance to Bonamia ostreae.

The protistan pathogen Bonamia ostreae was first detected in Ostrea edulis at Rossmore, Cork Harbour, on the south coast of Ireland in 1987. A selective breeding programme commenced in 1988 by Atlantic Shellfish Ltd. to produce B.

Interlaboratory variability in screening for Bonamia ostreae, a protistan parasite of the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis.

The spread of the protozoan parasite Bonamia ostreae is of major concern to the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis industry. Many studies have looked at the sensitivity of individual methods available to screen for B. ostreae, but in this study, 3 separate laboratories examined 4 methods of diagnosis currently used routinely in laboratories: heart imprints, histology, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridisation (ISH).