White Spot Disease: WSD ( = Penaeid Acute Viremia: PAV)

Abstract

White spot disease (WSD), the synonymous of penaeid acute viremia (PAV), has become one of the most serious problems of the shrimp culture business in the world. One important infection route of the causative virus (WSSV: white spot syndrome virus = PRDV: penaeid rod-shaped DNA virus) is a vertical transmission from spawner to larvae via eggs in the seed production process of kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus). To prevent the vertical transmission, disinfection methods of fertilized eggs and high-sensitive detection methods for the causative virus by molecular technologies have been developed. Until recently, the seed production has been depending on the mated and captured female broodstock. However, as WSSV is spontaneously affecting the broodstock in nature at some level, the vertical infection occurs due to the virus replication in the virus-carrier female broodstock caused by spawning stress. Therefore, specific pathogen free (SPF) kuruma shrimp stock is highly important for prevention of WSD and for sustainable shrimp culture in Japan.