Presentation Abstract

Lipophilic toxins, in particular those associated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), are an emerging threat to shellfish harvesting in Washington State. While Washington was the first state to implement the routine testing of shellfish for DSP toxins in 2012 after the occurrence DSP in Sequim Bay, WA in 2011, there continue to be occasional reports of DSP-like illnesses likely tied to the consumption of shellfish from Puget Sound. To address these illness of unknown etiology, we began a Monitoring and Event Response to Harmful Algal Blooms project in 2015 to identify whether species of the genus Azadinium were present in Puget Sound. This small dinoflagellate, in particular A. poporum, A. spinosum, and A. dexteroporum, have been shown in other parts of the world to produce azaspiracids, lipophilic toxins which can produce DSP-like symptoms. The presence of the genus Azadinium was confirmed in whole water samples collected from several SoundToxins sites in Puget Sound based on the use of molecular probes. Here we report the establishment of Azadinium cultures from sediment samples from Puget Sound including A. obesum, A. cuneatum, A. poporum, A. dalianense. The production of a new azaspiracid, named AZA-59, was confirmed by liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy in several isolates of A. poporum. This first confirmation of the presence of the genus Azadinium in Puget Sound and the first report of azaspiracid on west coast of the U.S., underlining the potential risk of azaspiracid shellfish poisoning in this region.

Session Title

Harmful Phytoplankton in the Salish Sea: Part II

Keywords

Azadinium, Azaspiracids

Conference Track

SSE5: Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation, and Research

Conference Name

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)

Document Type

Event

SSEC Identifier

SSE5-58

Start Date

4-4-2018 3:30 PM

End Date

4-4-2018 3:45 PM

Type of Presentation

Oral

Genre/Form

presentations (communicative events)

Contributing Repository

Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Subjects – Topical (LCSH)

Poisonous shellfish--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Dinoflagellates--Toxicology--Washington (State)--Puget Sound

Geographic Coverage

Puget Sound (Wash.); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)

Rights

This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Type

Text

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

COinS
 
Apr 4th, 3:30 PM Apr 4th, 3:45 PM

First records of the genus azadinium (dinophyceae) from Puget Sound, Washington State

Lipophilic toxins, in particular those associated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), are an emerging threat to shellfish harvesting in Washington State. While Washington was the first state to implement the routine testing of shellfish for DSP toxins in 2012 after the occurrence DSP in Sequim Bay, WA in 2011, there continue to be occasional reports of DSP-like illnesses likely tied to the consumption of shellfish from Puget Sound. To address these illness of unknown etiology, we began a Monitoring and Event Response to Harmful Algal Blooms project in 2015 to identify whether species of the genus Azadinium were present in Puget Sound. This small dinoflagellate, in particular A. poporum, A. spinosum, and A. dexteroporum, have been shown in other parts of the world to produce azaspiracids, lipophilic toxins which can produce DSP-like symptoms. The presence of the genus Azadinium was confirmed in whole water samples collected from several SoundToxins sites in Puget Sound based on the use of molecular probes. Here we report the establishment of Azadinium cultures from sediment samples from Puget Sound including A. obesum, A. cuneatum, A. poporum, A. dalianense. The production of a new azaspiracid, named AZA-59, was confirmed by liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy in several isolates of A. poporum. This first confirmation of the presence of the genus Azadinium in Puget Sound and the first report of azaspiracid on west coast of the U.S., underlining the potential risk of azaspiracid shellfish poisoning in this region.