Isolation and characterization of bacteria from the lesion of juvenile sea cucumber Holothuria scabra (Jaeger, 1938) with symptom of skin ulceration disease

Echinoderm diseases have attracted little interest in contrast to the other commercial marine organisms. This study reports the pathogenesis pattern of juvenile Holothuria scabra. 11 pure bacteria were isolated from lesions of juvenile H. scabra with the symptoms of skin ulceration disease. Phylogenetic identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis revealed that they belonged to the genera Arcobacter bivalviorum, Pseudoalteromonas citrea, Pseudoalteromonas sp., Vibrio azureus, V. fortis, V. owensii, V.  parahaemolyticus, V.  rotiferianus, V. tubiashi and Vibrio sp..This study is the first report which find V. owensii, V. azureus and V. fortis as potential pathogens of holothuroids. All isolated bacteria showed in vitro susceptibility to the common antibiotics imipenem, chloramphenicol and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. These antibiotics might be effective in reducing the incidence of the skin ulceration disease in case of emergency.