Prawns are grown in southern Thailand. A disease breaks out regularly. Is it possible to breed a fish that is insensitive to these viruses?

Entire ponds are dying. No risk insurance. Disinfection with quicklime would be possible, but even then the pond would remain out of production for a long time.

Asker: Julien, 63 years old

Answer

Dear Julien,

you probably mean the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV). It is the most feared disease in the industry and can destroy an entire shrimp farm in just 7 days! There is currently no adequate treatment. The only measures that help somewhat are all preventive: focus on hygiene and management. This virus only affects crustaceans (including shrimp) and not fish. breeding a fish that is resistant to this virus is therefore not necessary. Attempts have already been made to breed shrimp with increased resistance, but these shrimp are very expensive. In addition, the virus will adapt over time and still be able to infect the shrimp. So the message is to focus on more research. In addition to WSSV, you also have to fear bacterial Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS). This is about the same as for WSSV.

Prawns are grown in southern Thailand.  A disease breaks out regularly.  Is it possible to breed a fish that is insensitive to these viruses?

Answered by

vet Gaetan De Gryse

arthropods; shrimp (and other crustaceans), bees. Veterinary viral infections. pesticides. Morphology of crustaceans

university of Ghent

http://www.ugent.be

.

Recent Articles

Related Stories