Effect of ammonia on the immune response of Taiwan abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta and its susceptibility to Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Taiwan abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta held in 30‰ seawater and 26 °C were injected with TSB-grown Vibrio parahaemolyticus (1.6 × 105 cfu abalone−1), and then placed in water containing different concentrations of ammonia-N (un-ionized plus ionized ammonia) at 0.01 mg l−1 (control), 1.12, 3.22, 5.24 and 10.18 mg l−1. Mortality of abalone increased directly with ambient ammonia-N concentration. After 12 h, the mortality of V. parahaemolyticus-injected abalone held in 3.22 mg l−1 ammonia-N was significantly higher than those placed in 1.12 mg l−1 ammonia-N and the control solution. In another experiment, the abalone which had been exposed to control, 1.08, 3.16, 5.37 and 10.34 mg l−1 ammonia-N for 24, 72 and 120 h were examined for THC (total haemocyte count), phenoloxidase activity, respiratory burst (release of superoxide anion), and phagocytic activity and clearance efficiency to V. parahaemolyticus. The abalone when exposed to 3.16 mg l−1 ammonia-N had decreased THC after 72 h, and decreased phenoloxidase activity, phagocytic activity and clearance efficiency after 24 h. However, the abalone when exposed to 3.16 mg l−1 ammonia-N had increased respiratory burst after 24 h. The immune parameters except superoxide anion seemed to be suppressed in a dose-dependent fashion after 24 h. It is concluded that ammonia caused a depression in immune parameters and an increase in mortality of H. diversicolor supertexta from V. parahaemolyticus infection.