Pathogenic Vibrios associated with loose shell syndrome in mangrove crabs (Scylla spp.)

Ma. Patricia B. Villarias; Joshua V. Servidad; Gene Philip Levee Q. Ynion; Christopher Marlowe A. Caipang

doi:10.22034/ijab.v13i1.2402

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Ma. Patricia B. Villarias Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miag-ao 5023, Iloilo, Philippines.
Joshua V. Servidad Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miag-ao 5023, Iloilo, Philippines.
Gene Philip Levee Q. Ynion Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miag-ao 5023, Iloilo, Philippines.
Christopher Marlowe A. Caipang
[email protected]
Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miag-ao 5023, Iloilo, Philippines.

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2025): In Press

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February 2, 2025

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An emerging disease known as loose shell syndrome, with unknown etiology, impacts mangrove crab aquaculture in the Philippines. This study investigated the presence and characterized pathogenic Vibrio spp., which might be implicated in loose shell syndrome in mangrove crabs, Scylla spp. Five bacterial isolates associated with loose shell syndrome in mangrove crabs were obtained and purified. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification using Vibrio-specific primers identified one isolate carrying the hemolysin (vhh) virulence gene of Vibrio harveyi, which was later confirmed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA. The other non-Vibrio isolates were Proteus, Shewanella, and Stutzerimonas. This study provides valuable insights into the possible etiology of loose shell syndrome in mangrove crabs, contributing to a better understanding of whether the condition stems from bacterial, environmental, or a combination of both factors.

Villarias, M. P. B., Servidad, J. V., Ynion, G. P. L. Q., & Caipang, C. M. A. (2025). Pathogenic Vibrios associated with loose shell syndrome in mangrove crabs (Scylla spp.) . International Journal of Aquatic Biology, 13(1), 23–29. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijab.v13i1.2402

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