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Characterizing Potential Bacterial Pathogens Of Pisaster Ochraceus Sea Stars With Wasting Disease, Chelsea Hutchinson
Characterizing Potential Bacterial Pathogens Of Pisaster Ochraceus Sea Stars With Wasting Disease, Chelsea Hutchinson
WWU Graduate School Collection
In 2013 sea star wasting disease (SSWD) caused an epizootic in over 20 species of asteroids along the west coast of North America. To see if SSWD was still affecting wild populations, we surveyed populations of the sea star, Pisaster ochraceus, in Birch Bay, WA. Our surveys indicated that advanced symptoms (lesion formation) increased 73% from July to September in 2017. To understand the role of bacteria in SSWD, we isolated bacteria with tissue-degrading potential from epidermal tissues of P. ochraceus animals in Birch Bay, WA. Next, we identified these isolates via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results indicated …