Pathogens and immune response of cephalopods

Cephalopod mollusks are an important marine resource for fisheries, and have received marked attention for studies on organismal biology; they are also good candidates for aquaculture. Wild and reared cephalopods are affected by a wide variety of pathogens, mainly bacteria, protozoa and metazoan parasites. Cephalopods do not have acquired immunity and immunological memory; therefore vaccination cannot be used to protect them against infectious diseases. Their defense mechanisms rely only on their innate immunity. In this review, we will summarize and update knowledge on the most common pathogens, the diseases they cause, and on symbionts. In addition, we provide a general overview of the cephalopod immune system, response to pathogens with a short discussion on the gene expression involved in the immune response by these animals.