Invasive crayfish and crayfish plague on the move: first detection of the plague agent Aphanomyces astaci in the Romanian Danube

Pârvulescu, Lucian; Schrimpf, Anne; Kozubíková, Eva; Resino, Sara Cabanillas; Vrålstad, Trude; Petrusek, Adam; Schulz, Ralf

doi:10.3354/dao02432

Cited by 64 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…This finding supports recent reports of latent infections occurring in noble crayfish A. astacus (L. 1758) populations in Finland (Jussila et al 2011b) and detections of A. astaci in apparently healthy A. leptodactylus inhabiting the Danube Delta in Romania (Pârvulescu et al 2012). Considering the history of crayfish harvest in the lake and the time separating our study and previous unambiguous diagnoses of the pathogen in Turkey, we conclude that A. astaci may have indeed persisted in the lake for over 2 decades without eliminating the local crayfish population.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Although the mechanisms allowing the long-term coexistence of Aphanomyces astaci with crayfish in Turkey remain to be identified, the data presented here support other recent evidence of crayfish in Europe coexisting with this parasite over extended periods of time in chronic rather than acute infection states (Jussila et al 2011b, Pârvulescu et al 2012. As crayfish plague remains a major threat to indigenous Old World crayfish species both in the wild and in aquaculture (Souty-Grosset et al 2006), further studies are needed to better understand its virulence, host interactions and epidemiology to devise strategies for recovery of native crayfish populations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…The long-term data from Lake Eg irdir suggest that the presence of the pathogen may have prevented recovery of the populations to pre-exposure numbers and sporadically impacts remaining crayfish. However, while these observations suggest some A. leptodactylus crayfish might have adapted to better resist the pathogen and its impact might be limited by low host densities, future larger-scale studies will be needed to evaluate these hypotheses.Although the mechanisms allowing the long-term coexistence of Aphanomyces astaci with crayfish in Turkey remain to be identified, the data presented here support other recent evidence of crayfish in Europe coexisting with this parasite over extended periods of time in chronic rather than acute infection states (Jussila et al 2011b, Pârvulescu et al 2012. As crayfish plague remains a major threat to indigenous Old World crayfish species both in the wild and in aquaculture (Souty-Grosset et al 2006), further studies are needed to better understand its virulence, host interactions and epidemiology to devise strategies for recovery of native crayfish populations.…”

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confidence: 84%

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PCR detection of the crayfish plague pathogen in narrow-clawed crayfish inhabiting Lake Eğirdir in Turkey

Svobodá

Kozubíková²,

Kozák³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Many populations of the narrow-clawed crayfish Astacus leptodactylus in Turkey, including those inhabiting Lake Eg irdir, declined drastically in the mid-1980s due to introduction of crayfish plague Aphanomyces astaci. However, unlike many other localities, there has been some recovery in the A. leptodactylus population inhabiting this lake even though crayfish plague has been suspected to have persisted since then. In support of this, DNA from 5 of 34 healthy-looking crayfish sampled recently from the lake tested positive by both conventional and real-time PCR using species-specific primers targeting the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region, and product sequence analysis confirmed the identification of A. astaci. This complies with other recent reports of coexistence of native European crayfish with this pathogen, and further research is now needed to identify the key mechanisms allowing it.KEY WORDS: Aphanomyces astaci · Astacus leptodactylus · Host−pathogen coexistence · Melanisation · rDNA-internal transcribed spacer sequence · Lake Eg irdir Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 98: [255][256][257][258][259] 2012 dramatically reduced. However, there were exceptional cases where crayfish numbers either remained continuously high or recovered enough to sustain commercial harvesting despite the presumed presence of the crayfish plague pathogen (Rahe & Soylu 1989, Harliog lu 2004, 2008.Crayfish resistance and/or unique water chemistries have been assumed as reasons facilitating the long-term coexistence of Aphanomyces astaci in crayfish inhabiting such lakes (Rahe & Soylu 1989, Harliog lu 2008. A. astaci was unambiguously proven as the cause of crayfish mortalities in the 1980s (Baran & Soylu 1989, Rahe & Soylu 1989, Huang et al. 1994. However, its later presence in Turkish lakes (e.g. Aydin & Dilek 2004, Harliog lu 2004, 2008 has only been assumed from symptoms that are not specific for the crayfish plague pathogen (Cerenius et al. 1988, Oidtmann et al. 1999. As A. astaci should not survive at a locality when its crayfish hosts disappear (Söderhäll & Cerenius 1999) and its presence in Turkey after 1989 has not been proven definitively, its distribution in the country might now be more restricted than assumed.The narrow-clawed crayfish population inhabiting Lake Eg irdir (Isparta Province; 38°N, 31°E, altitude 917 m above sea level [a.s.l.], area 482 km 2 ) collapsed in 1986, presumably due to crayfish plague (Fürst & Söderhäll 1987). By 1999, numbers recovered sufficiently to allow commercial harvesting, although catch sizes have been lower and prone to fluctuations (Fig. 1). The aim of this study was to examine Lake Eg irdir crayfish using PCR and rDNA sequence analysis to test for the contemporary presence of A. astaci. MATERIALS AND METHODSOver 2 occasions in 2009, a total of 32 crayfish (mean body length ± SD: 111 ± 22 mm) were caught in fyke-net traps in the southern part of Lake Eg irdir (37°53' N, 30°53' E). In March, 2 egg-bearing fem...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

supporting

confidence: 84%

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PCR detection of the crayfish plague pathogen in narrow-clawed crayfish inhabiting Lake Eğirdir in Turkey

Svobodá

Kozubíková²,

Kozák³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

Self Cite

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“…Along with these new detection methods, several reports of European crayfish species with a latent infection of A. astaci, or acting as carriers of crayfish plague, have been published (Jussila et al 2011a, ViljamaaDirks et al 2011, Pârvulescu et al 2012, Svoboda et al 2012. In Finland, the discussion has focused especially on the As-genotype and its virulence, which in recently reported cases seems to be lowered (Jussila et al 2011a.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differing virulence of Aphanomyces astaci isolates and elevated resistance of noble crayfish Astacus astacus against crayfish plague

Makkonen

Jussila²,

Kortet³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Crayfish plague epidemics (caused by Aphanomyces astaci) have been causing population collapses among native European crayfish stocks since the late 1800s. Recent indirect and direct evidence has shown that its virulence has been variable, with native European crayfish even acting as carriers. We tested the differences in A. astaci virulence under experimental conditions using both PsI-and As-genotypes with 3 Finnish noble crayfish Astacus astacus populations. We infected crayfish with adjusted quantities of A. astaci zoospores and monitored the symptoms and mortality of the crayfish. The PsI-genotype isolate caused rapid and total mortality among the tested populations, while the As-genotype isolates expressed more variable virulence. In some cases, mortality among the As-genotype-infected crayfish did not exceed the mortality level of the control group. All of the tested noble crayfish stocks showed lower mortality towards the As-genotype of A. astaci isolated from the River Kemijoki epidemic. We conclude that there are clear differences in virulence between different A. astaci genotypes and also differences in virulence within As-genotypes. Furthermore, we observed clear signs of increased resistance in different populations of noble crayfish towards some of the tested strains belonging to the Asgenotype of A. astaci.

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“…presence of A. astaci in that species corresponds to its infection status elsewhere in the Danube (Kozubíková et al, 2010;Pârvulescu et al, 2012). Upon contact of marbled crayfish with infected spiny-cheek crayfish, we may expect a horizontal transmission of A. astaci between the two host species (see James et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Slovak section of the Danube has its well-established breeding ground of marbled crayfishProcambarus fallaxf.virginalis

Lipták

Mojžišová

Gruľa

et al. 2017

Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst.

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-Established populations of the non-indigenous parthenogenetically reproducing marbled crayfish Procambarus fallax f. virginalis have been recently reported from various European countries. The colonised sites are usually lentic and relatively isolated from major watercourses and in such cases the immediate threat of the spread of this taxon is limited. Here we report on a marbled crayfish population that is likely to become a seed for colonisation of the Danube in Slovakia. It is located in a channel within the Slovak capital Bratislava in the immediate vicinity of a pumping station that occasionally releases significant amounts of water into the side arm of the Danube. The population is well established with a high growth potential: numerous adult marbled crayfish individuals were observed at the site in September and October 2016 and the progeny (eggs or first two developmental stages) of 27 berried females exceeded 11 000 individuals. The maximum observed fecundity per female reached 647 juveniles in the second developmental stage. The Danube side arm downstream of the pumping station harbours a population of spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus infected with the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci. We presume that marbled crayfish is already present below the pumping station and it is just a matter of effort and time until it is discovered. The investigated specimens of marbled crayfish were found free of A. astaci, but horizontal transmission from infected spiny-cheek crayfish may be expected, as well as further spread of marbled crayfish in the Danube.Keywords: pet trade / aquatic invasion / fecundity / asexual reproduction / Slovakia Résumé -Une portion slovaque du Danube est un site de reproduction bien établie d'écrevisse marbrée Procambarus fallax f.virginalis. Des populations établies d'écrevisses marbrées non-indigènes à reproduction parthénogénétique Procambarus fallax f. virginalis ont récemment été signalées dans différents pays européens. Les sites colonisés sont généralement lentiques et relativement isolés des grands cours d'eau et, dans de tels cas, la menace immédiate de propagation de ce taxon est limitée. Nous rapportons ici sur une population d'écrevisses marbrées qui risque de devenir une source pour la colonisation du Danube en Slovaquie. Elle est localisée dans un canal situé dans la capitale slovaque Bratislava, à proximité immédiate d'une station de pompage qui libère occasionnellement d'importantes quantités d'eau dans le bras latéral du Danube. La population est bien établie avec un fort potentiel de croissance: de nombreux adultes d'écrevisse marbrée ont été observés sur le site en septembre et octobre 2016 et la progéniture (oeufs ou deux premiers stades de développement) de 27 femelles grainées dépasse 11 000 individus. La fécondité maximale observée par femelle a atteint 647 juvéniles au deuxième stade de développement. Le bras latéral du Danube en aval de la station de pompage abrite une population d'écrevisses américaines Orconectes limosus infectées par l...

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Invasive crayfish and crayfish plague on the move: first detection of the plague agent Aphanomyces astaci in the Romanian Danube

Cited by 64 publications

References 34 publications

PCR detection of the crayfish plague pathogen in narrow-clawed crayfish inhabiting Lake Eğirdir in Turkey

PCR detection of the crayfish plague pathogen in narrow-clawed crayfish inhabiting Lake Eğirdir in Turkey

Differing virulence of Aphanomyces astaci isolates and elevated resistance of noble crayfish Astacus astacus against crayfish plague

Slovak section of the Danube has its well-established breeding ground of marbled crayfishProcambarus fallaxf.virginalis

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