Ll. Mohney et al., ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM-PEREGRINUM FROM THE PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP PENAEUS-VANNAMEI, Journal of aquatic animal health, 10(1), 1998, pp. 83-88
Mycobacterium peregrinum was isolated from multifocal, melanized nodul
ar lesions in the carapace of the cultured marine shrimp Penaeus vanna
mei. This is the first identification of this species of Mycobacterium
in shrimp. The lesions appeared to be the result of opportunistic inf
ections in otherwise healthy animals. The presence of M. peregrinum in
cultured shrimp has a direct negative impact on the marketability of
shrimp because it causes obvious black lesions. The potential for acci
dental infections of shrimp farm or packing plant workers from handlin
g infected shrimp is of concern since nodular skin lesions induced by
the bacterium are difficult to treat.