Sutton,-D.C.; Trott,-L.; Reichelt,-J.L.; Lucas,-J.S.  
	Assessment of bacterial pathogenesis in crown-of-thorns 
	starfish Acanthaster planci  (L).  PROCEEDINGS-OF-THE-
	SIXTH-INTERNATIONAL-CORAL-REEF-SYMPOSIUM,-TOWNSVILLE,-`
	AUSTRALIA,-8th-12th-AUGUST-1988.-VOLUME-2:-CONTRIBUTED-
	PAPERS-MINI-SYMPOSIUM-1-TO-10-14. Choat,-J.H.;Barnes,-
	1988. pp. 171-176.

Between March 1985 and January 1988, crown-of-thorns starfish 
Acanthaster planci  showing symptoms of pathogenesis were 
examined for the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria. 
The starfish, from flow through or recirculating aquaria, had 
symptoms including lesion formation, tissue degeneration, 
loss of turgor and collapsed spines. The progress of disease 
could be halted by treatment with antibiotics. A range of 
bacteria were isolated from diseased tissues. These included 
bacteria normally found associated with healthy starfish, but 
also included bacteria belonging to the genera Vibrio, 
Pseudomonas  and Moraxella . Vibrio harveyi  was commonly 
isolated and V. tubiashi , a known invertebrate pathogen, was 
isolated on several occasions. Pathogenicity testing of 
individual isolates and mixtures of isolates against 
apparently healthy adult starfish (and for some isolates 
against larval stages of the starfish) failed to induce 
disease symptoms. The possibility that these bacteria 
function as facultative pathogens of stressed animals is 
discussed.