Bf. Edgerton et L. Owens, Histopathological surveys of the redclaw freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, in Australia, AQUACULTURE, 180(1-2), 1999, pp. 23-40
Histopathological surveys on Cherax quadricarinatus from farms in northern
Queensland were conducted in 1992 and 1996. C. quadricarinatus bacilliform
virus (CqBV) and C. Giardiavirus-like virus were highly prevalent in both s
urveys. The prevalence of CqBV in three farms was markedly higher in the 19
96 survey than in the 1992 survey. However increased mortalities were not r
eported by farmers in this period. Bacteraemia and Psorospermium sp. were c
ommon in both surveys. Enteric bacterial infections were common at one farm
in 1996. Microsporidiosis was observed in two crayfish from one farm in 19
92. Haemocytic enteritis was common in two farms in 1996, and black spots w
ere observed on crayfish from one farm in 1992, and from two different farm
s in 1996. Several other rare idiopathic lesions were observed. The need fo
r more thorough data sets on the prevalence and incidence of disease causin
g organisms in freshwater crayfish is highlighted. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc
e B.V. All rights reserved.