Although these infections have not yet been linked to environmental
changes, stress has been shown to alter immune function in a number of
bivalvemolluscs increasing disease susceptibility (Lacoste et al., 2001a).
In a recent study by Kuchel et al. (2010), the effects of environmental
stressors including; exposure to air, mechanical agitation (MA), and
hypo-salinity, were investigated in Pinctada imbricata