The term shell disease subsumes a number of debilitating conditions affecting the outer integument (the carapace) of decapod crustaceans, such as lobsters and crabs. Herein, we seek to find commonality in the aetiology and pathology of such conditions, and those cases that result in the progressive erosion of the cuticle through to the visceral tissues by a cocktail of microbial‐derived enzymes including lipases, proteases and...

A large knowledge gap exists regarding the disease profile and pathologic condition of the invasive, slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata . To help address this, we performed a year-long health survey at two sites in South Wales, UK – subtidal Swansea Bay and intertidal Milford Haven. In total, 1,800 limpets were screened systematically for haemolymph bacterial burdens using both general and vibrio-selective growth media (TSA +...

Probiotic use in aquaculture settings can be an approach for disease control and dietary supplementation. We assessed the antagonistic effect of culture supernatants of lactic acid bacteria on the growth of known shrimp pathogens, Vibrio ( Listonella ) anguillarum , Vibrio alginolyticus , and V. harveyi , using a quantitative microplate bioassay. Supernatants from Lactobacillus curvatus subsp. curvatus, L. plantarum , and Pedi...

While most crab production for human consumption worldwide comes from capture fisheries, there is increasing production of selected species using aquaculture-based methods. This is both for the purpose of stock replacement and direct yield for human consumption. Disease has limited the ability to produce larval crabs in commercial hatcheries and this together with suitable feeds, are major hurdles in the sustainable developmen...

Diarrhetic shellfish-poisoning (DSP) toxins such as okadaic acid and dinophysistoxins harm the human gastrointestinal tract, and therefore, their levels are regulated to an upper limit of 160 μg per kg tissue to protect consumers. Rodents are used routinely for risk assessment and studies concerning mechanisms of toxicity, but there is a general move toward reducing and replacing vertebrates for these bioassays. We have adopte...