Gaffkaemia (gaffkemia in American English) is a bacterial disease of lobsters, caused by the Gram-positive lactic acid bacterium Aerococcus viridans var.
Gaffkaemia was first discovered in 1947 in American lobsters (Homarus americanus) in a holding tank in Maine.
[6] In a severe infection, the ability of the lobster's blood pigment haemocyanin to carry oxygen may be reduced by up to 50%.
[6] Gaffkaemia is enzootic in North America, and causes little harm to wild populations of H. americanus.
[6] Antibiotics may be effective against the bacterium, but only tetracycline is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in American lobsters.