Freshwater mussels can inhibit bacterial diseases

Date:
April 4, 2022
Source:
University of Jyva"skyla" - Jyva"skyla"n yliopisto
Summary:
Researchers have found brown trout better survived a Flavobacterium
disease outbreak if the fish had larvae of freshwater pearl mussel
in their gills. In another study, duck mussels were observed to
filter and remove Flavobacterium from the water.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers from the University of Jyva"skyla" found brown trout better survived a Flavobacterium disease outbreak if the fish had larvae of
freshwater pearl mussel in their gills. In another study, duck mussels
were observed to filter and remove Flavobacterium from the water.


========================================================================== Flavobacteria are a severe problem for fish farming and cause substantial economic losses. The "warm water disease" caused by Flavobacterium
columnare is especially problematic since a functional vaccine against
the bacterium is not available. The skin and gill damage in diseased individuals can cause high mortality in young salmonids.

Larvae of the freshwater pearl mussel can give protection against
bacterial infection Glochidium larvae of the freshwater pearl mussel
attach to salmon or trout gills, where they develop and grow for 9
to 11 months until they detach and sink to the river bottom, starting
their life as mussels. Glochidium larva is a parasite in the gills of
fish. Therefore, it was assumed that glochidia- infested fish would be
more prone to bacterial infection.

Against expectations, brown trout infested with pearl mussel larvae
better survived an outbreak of Flavobacterium columnare. Moreover, the protective effect of glochidia infestation against bacterial disease
sustained several months after the larvae had dropped off from the gills
of fish. The higher the number of pearl mussel larvae in the gills was,
the better the trout survived.

Mussels can remove flavobacteria from water Freshwater mussel are filter-feeders. They remove suspended materials efficiently, cleaning
tens of liters of water a day. Thus, their ability to filter and remove
harmful F. columnarebacteria from water was tested. The result was clear:
in aquaria, one mussel individual could halve the density of bacteria
within two days.

Species diversity loss will cause loss of important ecosystem services
The freshwater pearl mussel is an endangered species which has disappeared
from a large part of its original distribution area. The present results indicate that with the extirpation of species we may lose important and valuable ecosystem services.

"Filtering freshwater mussels could be potentially utilized in water
treatment applications," says Head of Konnevesi Research Station and
LIFE Revives project, professor Jouni Taskinen. "As species disappear,
we may lose ecosystem services the species provide -- probably before
we have even found them."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Jyva"skyla"_-_Jyva"skyla"n_yliopisto. Note: Content may
be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Related Multimedia:
* Freshwater_pearl_mussel_larvae_on_trout_gills ========================================================================== Journal References:
1. M. Motiur R. Chowdhury, Amitav Roy, Kalle Auvinen, Katja Pulkkinen,
Hanna
Suonia, Jouni Taskinen. Glochidial infection by the endangered
Margaritifera margaritifera (Mollusca) increased survival of
salmonid host (Pisces) during experimental Flavobacterium disease
outbreak.

Parasitology Research, 2021; 120 (10): 3487 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-
07285-7
2. Mahsa Hajisafarali, Sari Aaltonen, Katja Pulkkinen, Jouni
Taskinen. Does
the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina remove the fish pathogen
Flavobacterium columnare from water? Hydrobiologia, 2021; 849 (4):
1067 DOI: 10.1007/s10750-021-04769-6 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220404093013.htm

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