<i>Francisella halioticida</i> Infection of Intermediately Cultured Juvenile Scallops <i>Mizuhopecten yessoensis</i> in Southern Hokkaido

Abstract

Field surveys of the bacterium Francisella halioticida infection among intermediate-cultured juvenile scallops Mizuhopecten yessoensis in southern Hokkaido revealed that the mortality of juvenile scallops was positively associated with the prevalence of F. halioticida, and that both mortality and prevalence increased in September and January. ​In the intermediate culture experiments, juvenile scallops reared under high density during September and October resulted in high prevalence of F. halioticida and scallop mortality after October, while rearing density from October to March was not associated with infection and mortality, indicating that the high rearing density between September and October determined the infection of F. halioticida and scallop mortality in the following period. ​Furthermore, shell deformity rates, as a proposed index for poor physiological condition of juvenile scallops, were high in the experimental groups with higher density from September to October. ​The high rearing density in this term may have caused a decline in physiological status and, reduced resistance to francisellosis in juvenile scallops, although there is still a possibility that shell deformity was caused by francisellosis.