What is the history of mycobacteriosis in Chesapeake Bay?
The occurrence of mycobacteriosis in striped bass (Morone saxatilis) from Chesapeake Bay was first noted by VIMS in 1997. Previous outbreaks of mycobacteriosis in wild striped bass have occurred in Pacific estuaries. Following the Chesapeake Bay outbreak, VIMS scientists isolated a new species of mycobacteria associated with skin and visceral lesions that they named Mycobacterium shottsii. This new species is closely related to M. marinum and M. ulcerans. It is unknown how long mycobacteria may have been causing disease in Bay striped bass.
