Oyster production is the main aquaculture activity in France and is dominated by the rearing of Crassostrea gigas. In the aquatic ecosystems where the species is grown, bacteria of the genus Vibrio are found to be dominant. Two Vibrio species, V. splendidus and V. aestuarianus, are frequently associated with Crassostrea gigas summer mortality episodes. The aims of this work were to study Vibrio-oyster interactions and their modulations according to virulence mechanisms and to genetic and physiological parameters of the host. Using specific, sensitive and quantifying diagnostic tools developed in this study, as well as standardized experimental infection trials, some components of the virulence of Vibrio strains and host susceptibility were delineated and... |