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Leading Australian shrimp producer shines the spotlight on IHHNV Dr Melony Sellars, Genics and Alistair Dick, Gold Coast Marine Aquaculture
Australia has a range of commercially impactful shrimp pathogens. These vary from region to region with some causing mass mortality. For instance, white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and Vibrio bacteria that express toxins. There are also pathogens that cause sustained reduction in growth and survival performance, such as infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV).
IHHNV impacts on production While the impacts of mass mortality are visual and easier to identify, the impacts of a pathogen like IHHNV
Hatchery Feed & Management Vol 8 Issue 2 2020
are more challenging to quantify as a result of less visual indicators in everyday production. In a recent Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) research study performed under semi-commercial conditions, it was estimated that IHHNV in Penaeus monodon causes up to US$52,000 of lost production when post-larvae have high viral loads at pond stocking. It is known that IHHNV also impacts the growth and survival of other Penaeid shrimp species like Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeus stylirostris, and that IHHNV is transmitted vertically from parent to offspring.
