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Aine C Hawthorn

Aine Hawthorn is a Research Fellow at the National Wildlife Health Center.

Science and Products

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two photos of same coral. Left coral mostly covered in live tissue, with dead section. Right photo: dead coral covered in algae

Research in response to Florida’s emerging coral disease

Coral reefs are both ecologically and economically important, serving as nurseries for fisheries, protecting the coastline from storm surges, and generating income from tourism. Since 2014, a wide variety of corals have been dying from unexplained causes throughout South Florida with mortalities ranging from North Miami to the Florida Keys.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
link

Research in response to Florida’s emerging coral disease

Coral reefs are both ecologically and economically important, serving as nurseries for fisheries, protecting the coastline from storm surges, and generating income from tourism. Since 2014, a wide variety of corals have been dying from unexplained causes throughout South Florida with mortalities ranging from North Miami to the Florida Keys.
Learn More
Healthy elkhorn coral tissue next to elkhorn coral with tissue loss shown by atrophic and thin body wall.
Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss
Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss
Healthy elkhorn coral tissue next to elkhorn coral with tissue loss shown by atrophic and thin body wall.

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

(A) Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). Tall columnar epidermis (E), gastrodermis (g), skeletal space (s), gastrovascular cavity (gvc), and calicodermis (white arrowhead). H&E stain.

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Healthy elkhorn coral tissue next to elkhorn coral with tissue loss shown by atrophic and thin body wall.

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

(A) Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). Tall columnar epidermis (E), gastrodermis (g), skeletal space (s), gastrovascular cavity (gvc), and calicodermis (white arrowhead). H&E stain.

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral showing flatworm along body wall.
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral showing flatworm along body wall.

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic. A flatworm (fw) is present along a multifocally ulcerated coral surface body wall (c) along one polyp. A small amount of cellular debris can be seen within the pharynx (p) of the flatworm.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral showing flatworm along body wall.

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic. A flatworm (fw) is present along a multifocally ulcerated coral surface body wall (c) along one polyp. A small amount of cellular debris can be seen within the pharynx (p) of the flatworm.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm. (A) Dorsal detail showing epidermis with rhabdites (black arrowheads) and endosymbionts visible within the flatworm parenchyma (fw).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm. (A) Dorsal detail showing epidermis with rhabdites (black arrowheads) and endosymbionts visible within the flatworm parenchyma (fw).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface body wall (asterisk), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface body wall (asterisk), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is multifocal lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface and basal body walls (asterisks), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is multifocal lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface and basal body walls (asterisks), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in basal body wall.
Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned
Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in basal body wall.

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. Within the basal body wall are necrotic “ghost” dinoflagellate endosymbionts with pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, lysis of nucleus, and loss of spherical shape (arrowheads). Normal endosymbionts are circled.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in basal body wall.

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. Within the basal body wall are necrotic “ghost” dinoflagellate endosymbionts with pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, lysis of nucleus, and loss of spherical shape (arrowheads). Normal endosymbionts are circled.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) case definition for wildlife

Diagnostic laboratories receive carcasses and samples for diagnostic evaluation and pathogen/toxin detection. Case definitions bring clarity and consistency to the evaluation process. Their use within and between organizations allows more uniform reporting of diseases and etiologic agents. The intent of a case definition is to provide scientifically based criteria for determining (a) if an individ
Authors
Aine C. Hawthorn, Michelle Dennis, Yasu Kiryu, Jan Landsberg, Ester Peters, Thierry M. Work
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

An introduction to lesions and histology of scleractinian corals

Stony corals (Scleractinia) are in the Phylum Cnidaria (cnidae referring to various types of stinging cells). They may be solitary or colonial, but all secrete an external, supporting aragonite skeleton. Large, colonial members of this phylum are responsible for the accretion of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical waters that form the foundations of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems. Coral
Authors
Aine C. Hawthorn, Ilze K. Berzins, Michelle Dennis, Matti Kiupel, Alisa L. Newton, Esther C. Peters, Vicente Avila Reyes, Thierry M. Work
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Rapid prototyping for quantifying belief weights of competing hypotheses about emergent diseases

Emerging diseases can have devastating consequences for wildlife and require a rapid response. A critical first step towards developing appropriate management is identifying the etiology of the disease, which can be difficult to determine, particularly early in emergence. Gathering and synthesizing existing information about potential disease causes, by leveraging expert knowledge or relevant exis
Authors
Ellen Padgett Robertson, Daniel P. Walsh, Julien Martin, Thierry M. Work, Christina A. Kellogg, James S. Evans, Aine C. Hawthorn, Greta Aeby, Valerie J. Paul, Brian Walker, Yasu Kiryu, Cheryl M. Woodley, Julie L. Meyer, Stephanie M. Rosales, Michael S. Studivan, Jennifer Moore, Marilyn E. Brandt, Andrew Bruckner
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Cooperative Research Units, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Advances in coral immunity ‘omics in response to disease outbreaks

Coral disease has progressively become one of the most pressing issues affecting coral reef survival. In the last 50 years, several reefs throughout the Caribbean have been severely impacted by increased frequency and intensity of disease outbreaks leading to coral death. A recent example of this is stony coral tissue loss disease which has quickly spread throughout the Caribbean, devastating cora
Authors
Nikki Traylor-Knowles, Andrew C. Baker, Kelsey M. Beavers, Neha Garg, Jeffrey R. Guyon, Aine C. Hawthorn, Nicholas J. MacKnight, Mónica Medina, Laura D. Mydlarz, Esther C. Peters, Julia Marie Stewart, Michael S. Studivan, Joshua D. Voss
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Evaluating the effect of nuclear inclusion X (NIX) infections on Pacific razor clam populations

ABSTRACT: Nuclear inclusion X (NIX), the etiological agent of bacterial gill disease in Pacific razor clams Siliqua patula, was associated with host mortality events in coastal Washington State, USA, during the mid-1980s. Ongoing observations of truncated razor clam size distributions in Kalaloch Beach, Washington, raised concerns that NIX continues to impact populations. We conducted a series of
Authors
Maya Groner, Paul Hershberger, Steven C. Fradkin, Carla M. Conway, Aine C. Hawthorn, Maureen K. Purcell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
An introduction to lesions and histology of stony corals

An introduction to lesions and histology of stony corals

USGS National Wildlife Health Center pathologists and partners have authored a new reference guide on the lesions and histology of scleractinian...

Read Article
Pathology Case of the Month - Elkhorn Coral Colony

Pathology Case of the Month - Elkhorn Coral Colony

Case History: Multifocal, progressive tissue loss was seen in several Elkhorn coral colonies within one reef off the coast of Sousa in the Dominican...

Read Article
Pathology Case of the Month - Boulder Brain Coral Colony

Pathology Case of the Month - Boulder Brain Coral Colony

Case History: A 20cm diameter colony of boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) offshore of Miami Beach, FL, US began losing tissue in September of...

Read Article

Science and Products

link
two photos of same coral. Left coral mostly covered in live tissue, with dead section. Right photo: dead coral covered in algae

Research in response to Florida’s emerging coral disease

Coral reefs are both ecologically and economically important, serving as nurseries for fisheries, protecting the coastline from storm surges, and generating income from tourism. Since 2014, a wide variety of corals have been dying from unexplained causes throughout South Florida with mortalities ranging from North Miami to the Florida Keys.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
link

Research in response to Florida’s emerging coral disease

Coral reefs are both ecologically and economically important, serving as nurseries for fisheries, protecting the coastline from storm surges, and generating income from tourism. Since 2014, a wide variety of corals have been dying from unexplained causes throughout South Florida with mortalities ranging from North Miami to the Florida Keys.
Learn More
Healthy elkhorn coral tissue next to elkhorn coral with tissue loss shown by atrophic and thin body wall.
Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss
Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss
Healthy elkhorn coral tissue next to elkhorn coral with tissue loss shown by atrophic and thin body wall.

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

(A) Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). Tall columnar epidermis (E), gastrodermis (g), skeletal space (s), gastrovascular cavity (gvc), and calicodermis (white arrowhead). H&E stain.

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Healthy elkhorn coral tissue next to elkhorn coral with tissue loss shown by atrophic and thin body wall.

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral side-by-side with elkhorn coral found with multifocal tissue loss

(A) Photomicrograph from a healthy example of elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata). Tall columnar epidermis (E), gastrodermis (g), skeletal space (s), gastrovascular cavity (gvc), and calicodermis (white arrowhead). H&E stain.

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral showing flatworm along body wall.
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral showing flatworm along body wall.

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic. A flatworm (fw) is present along a multifocally ulcerated coral surface body wall (c) along one polyp. A small amount of cellular debris can be seen within the pharynx (p) of the flatworm.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral showing flatworm along body wall.

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic

Photomicrograph at low magnification from elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) found with multifocal tissue loss in the Dominican Republic. A flatworm (fw) is present along a multifocally ulcerated coral surface body wall (c) along one polyp. A small amount of cellular debris can be seen within the pharynx (p) of the flatworm.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm. (A) Dorsal detail showing epidermis with rhabdites (black arrowheads) and endosymbionts visible within the flatworm parenchyma (fw).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm

Photomicrographs of from unknown species of flatworm. (A) Dorsal detail showing epidermis with rhabdites (black arrowheads) and endosymbionts visible within the flatworm parenchyma (fw).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface body wall (asterisk), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface body wall (asterisk), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is multifocal lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface and basal body walls (asterisks), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in body wall.

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. There is multifocal lytic necrosis of the gastrodermis extending through the surface and basal body walls (asterisks), and mucocyte hyperplasia with loss of gastrodermis from surface and basal body walls (black arrowheads).

By
National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in basal body wall.
Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned
Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in basal body wall.

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. Within the basal body wall are necrotic “ghost” dinoflagellate endosymbionts with pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, lysis of nucleus, and loss of spherical shape (arrowheads). Normal endosymbionts are circled.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center
Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral found diseased in Biscayne Bay showing lesions in basal body wall.

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph of basal body wall from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, Florida - cloned

Photomicrograph from a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) found diseased in Biscayne Bay, FL, US. Within the basal body wall are necrotic “ghost” dinoflagellate endosymbionts with pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, lysis of nucleus, and loss of spherical shape (arrowheads). Normal endosymbionts are circled.

By
National Wildlife Health Center, National Wildlife Health Center

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) case definition for wildlife

Diagnostic laboratories receive carcasses and samples for diagnostic evaluation and pathogen/toxin detection. Case definitions bring clarity and consistency to the evaluation process. Their use within and between organizations allows more uniform reporting of diseases and etiologic agents. The intent of a case definition is to provide scientifically based criteria for determining (a) if an individ
Authors
Aine C. Hawthorn, Michelle Dennis, Yasu Kiryu, Jan Landsberg, Ester Peters, Thierry M. Work
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

An introduction to lesions and histology of scleractinian corals

Stony corals (Scleractinia) are in the Phylum Cnidaria (cnidae referring to various types of stinging cells). They may be solitary or colonial, but all secrete an external, supporting aragonite skeleton. Large, colonial members of this phylum are responsible for the accretion of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical waters that form the foundations of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems. Coral
Authors
Aine C. Hawthorn, Ilze K. Berzins, Michelle Dennis, Matti Kiupel, Alisa L. Newton, Esther C. Peters, Vicente Avila Reyes, Thierry M. Work
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Rapid prototyping for quantifying belief weights of competing hypotheses about emergent diseases

Emerging diseases can have devastating consequences for wildlife and require a rapid response. A critical first step towards developing appropriate management is identifying the etiology of the disease, which can be difficult to determine, particularly early in emergence. Gathering and synthesizing existing information about potential disease causes, by leveraging expert knowledge or relevant exis
Authors
Ellen Padgett Robertson, Daniel P. Walsh, Julien Martin, Thierry M. Work, Christina A. Kellogg, James S. Evans, Aine C. Hawthorn, Greta Aeby, Valerie J. Paul, Brian Walker, Yasu Kiryu, Cheryl M. Woodley, Julie L. Meyer, Stephanie M. Rosales, Michael S. Studivan, Jennifer Moore, Marilyn E. Brandt, Andrew Bruckner
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Cooperative Research Units, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Advances in coral immunity ‘omics in response to disease outbreaks

Coral disease has progressively become one of the most pressing issues affecting coral reef survival. In the last 50 years, several reefs throughout the Caribbean have been severely impacted by increased frequency and intensity of disease outbreaks leading to coral death. A recent example of this is stony coral tissue loss disease which has quickly spread throughout the Caribbean, devastating cora
Authors
Nikki Traylor-Knowles, Andrew C. Baker, Kelsey M. Beavers, Neha Garg, Jeffrey R. Guyon, Aine C. Hawthorn, Nicholas J. MacKnight, Mónica Medina, Laura D. Mydlarz, Esther C. Peters, Julia Marie Stewart, Michael S. Studivan, Joshua D. Voss
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Evaluating the effect of nuclear inclusion X (NIX) infections on Pacific razor clam populations

ABSTRACT: Nuclear inclusion X (NIX), the etiological agent of bacterial gill disease in Pacific razor clams Siliqua patula, was associated with host mortality events in coastal Washington State, USA, during the mid-1980s. Ongoing observations of truncated razor clam size distributions in Kalaloch Beach, Washington, raised concerns that NIX continues to impact populations. We conducted a series of
Authors
Maya Groner, Paul Hershberger, Steven C. Fradkin, Carla M. Conway, Aine C. Hawthorn, Maureen K. Purcell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
An introduction to lesions and histology of stony corals

An introduction to lesions and histology of stony corals

USGS National Wildlife Health Center pathologists and partners have authored a new reference guide on the lesions and histology of scleractinian...

Read Article
Pathology Case of the Month - Elkhorn Coral Colony

Pathology Case of the Month - Elkhorn Coral Colony

Case History: Multifocal, progressive tissue loss was seen in several Elkhorn coral colonies within one reef off the coast of Sousa in the Dominican...

Read Article
Pathology Case of the Month - Boulder Brain Coral Colony

Pathology Case of the Month - Boulder Brain Coral Colony

Case History: A 20cm diameter colony of boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) offshore of Miami Beach, FL, US began losing tissue in September of...

Read Article