Microbiological and Histological Analysis for the Evaluation of Farmed Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) Health Status, in Coastal Areas of Italy

Shellfish farming is a relevant economic activity in Italy. The Gulf of La Spezia is one of the major production areas for mussels: the area is characterized by the presence of numerous human activities that could harm the quality of seawater. Additionally, the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms may influence the health status of animals, which must be constantly monitored. To have a clear view of the health conditions of the mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) farmed in this area, microbiological, parasitological, and histological analyses were performed. The study was conducted from November 2016 to October 2017. Overall, despite the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms for mussels, abnormal mortality rates were not reported during the monitoring period and the histological examination revealed no significant lesions. Our study confirms that studying different aspects together is a useful tool for assessing the health conditions of mussels and points out the importance of adverse environmental conditions for the expression of the pathogenicity of microorganisms.