Infection of Penaeus stylirostris (Boone) with a Rhabdovirus Isolated from Penaeus spp

Abstract

Infectivity and organ distribution studies for the rhabdovirus (rhabdovirus of penaeid shrimp-RPS) isolated from Penaeus spp. were conducted with subadult Penaeus stylirostris. Test shrimp were inoculated intramuscularly with different isolates of RPS from penaeid shrimp collected from different shrimp farms in Hawaii and Ecuador. Although the experimentally infected shrimp showed no clinical or gross manifestations of disease, the RPS was found to be infectious for the animals. Virus replication was demonstrated only in the lymphoid (Oka) organs of infected shrimp by virus assay and immunofluorescence. Also, the Oka organs of infected animals showed gross cellular changes and were significantly larger in size than the corresponding organs from uninfected shrimp. A possible role of the RPS in the causation of disease in penaeid shrimp is postulated.