Special Issue Oceans and Humans Health: The Ecology of Marine Opportunists

Abstract

Opportunistic marine pathogens, like opportunistic terrestrial pathogens, are ubiquitous in the environment (waters, sediments, and organisms) and only cause disease in immune-compromised or stressed hosts. In this review, we discuss four host-pathogen interactions within the marine environment that are typically considered opportunistic: sea fan coral-fungus, eelgrass-Labyrinthula zosterae, sea fan-Labyrinthulomycetes, and hard clam-Quahog Parasite Unknown with particular focus on disease ecology, parasite pathology, host response, and known associated environmental conditions. Disease is a natural part of all ecosystems; however, in some cases, a shift in the balance between the host, pathogen, and the environment may lead to epizootics in natural or cultured populations. In marine systems, host-microbe interactions are less understood than their terrestrial counterparts. The biological and physical changes to the world's oceans, coupled with other anthropogenic influences, will likely lead to more opportunistic diseases in the marine environment.

The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. I. General concepts

“…Fisher et al 2012; Burge et al 2013). Heterotrophic fungal endoliths comprise a group which contains parasites and which can cause diseases in corals.…”

“…on coral calcification and the roles of endolithic bioeroders and other organisms in coral ecosystems is very complex (e.g. Diaz-Pulido et al 2012) and is presently causing very serious ecological damage worldwide (Burge et al 2013). …”

“…During the past three decades, the prevalence and the rate of transmission of emerging infectious diseases, and the frequency of epizootics increased significantly in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, primarily due to social, demographic and environmental transformations (Wilcox and Gubler 2005; Fisher et al 2012; Burge et al 2013). It is extremely important to thoroughly understand host–parasite interactions in these times of environmental and climate change so that better management practices for preserving both wild and cultivated species and species diversity can be designed and implemented.…”

The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. II. Potential facultatively parasitic anamorphic ascomycetes can cause disease in corals and molluscs

“…Many species of fungi are known to bore into solid rock, sand grains and shells and can cause disease in many animal and plant tissues in marine ecosystems (Rosenberg and Ben-Haim 2002; Golubic et al 2005; Pitt and Hocking 2009; Raghukumar and Ravindran 2012; Burge et al 2013). In this review, we discuss what is known about the different ecotypes of Ascomycota (true fungi) with emphasis on anamorphic stages of Aspergillus sydowii and other species, which bore into skeletons of corals or shells of molluscs and infect the soft tissues of these animals causing diseases in marine ecosystems.…”

“…The substrates include living and dead plant and animal hosts, body parts and detritus in soils, sands and sediments (Burge et al 2013). When the substrates dry out, fungi characteristically form conidia and release clouds of spores into the air, which can be significant components of dust storms formed in deserts such as in Africa (Weir-Brush et al 2004) and in Australia (Hallegraeff et al 2014).…”