Disease threats to wild and cultured abalone in Australia

Abstract

Abalone species are important for recreational and commercial fisheries and aquaculture in many jurisdictions in Australia. Clinical infections with viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens can cause significant losses of wild and cultured stock, and subclinical infections may result in decreased productivity and growth. Infections with abalone herpesviruses (AbHV), Vibrio spp. and parasites of the genus Perkinsus are of particular concern to Australian fisheries. Here we provide a brief overview of these three major pathogen groups and their diagnoses from an Australian perspective.