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Preliminary studies on a chlamydial agent in the digestive diverticular epithelium of hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) from Great South Bay, New York
Author(s) -
MEYERS T. R.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of fish diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1365-2761
pISSN - 0140-7775
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2761.1979.tb00157.x
Subject(s) - mercenaria , biology , bay , chlamydia , juvenile , fishery , zoology , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , immunology , oceanography , geology
. The prevalence of a chlamydial infection in hatchery‐reared adult hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) from Great South Bay, Long Island, New York was relatively high and seasonally stable. Infection occurred early in life while juvenile clams were still within the hatchery. Fluorescent antibody tests suggested that the clam agent shares the group antigen specific for chlamydia, but to a lesser degree than a known chlamydial strain used as a positive control. The method of Gimenez failed to stain elementary bodies in clam cell inclusion bodies. Based on the observations of this study, the inclusion body agent in the hard clam differs from known strains of chlamydia. Characterization of the clam chlamydia must await the successful propagation of the agent.