Contact: Spencer Greenwood AVCLSC
Start date: October 2003
Completion date: Ongoing

Bumper Car disease in lobsters is caused by the ciliated protozoan parasite, Anophryoides haemophila. We have constructed a cDNA library from which 10,000 expressed sequence tags revealed ~ 1,000 unique genes. We identified candidate genes that may be involved in how the ciliate parasite attaches to, penetrates the carapace, and eventually kill lobsters. These genes were evaluated from ciliates grown in culture under varying controlled conditions (normal media alone or supplemented with pure chitin, lobster serum, or pieces of lobster carapace) and during a controlled infection experiment of lobsters. This research should provide evidence for or against the ciliated parasite being either a primary or opportunistic pathogen of lobsters. Whether the ciliate is a primary pathogen (i.e. having the capacity to gain access to the lobster by penetrating the carapace, gills or  through another portal of entry) or an opportunistic pathogen (only able to enter the lobster via a damaged carapace caused by fighting, previous disease agents that erode or damage the carapace e.g. shell disease, or through rough handling during capture and transport) may determine the necessity for different mitigation strategies when selecting lobsters for holding.

Publications for Case Report 3A Outbreak of Bumper Car Disease