Gaffkemia, a bacterial disease of lobsters: Genus Homarus

Lobsters infected with even a few cells (ca. 5 bacterial cells/ kg body weight) of a  virulent strain of A. viridans (var.) homari invariably die. On occasion, the disease undoubtedly has an important  but undetermined  impact on wild stocks of lobsters. It can be highly damaging to live stored lobsters, periodically causing severe losses.