The Way of Water: Unravelling White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) Transmission Dynamics in Litopenaeus vannamei Shrimp
Author:
Cox Natasja12ORCID, De Swaef Evelien1, Corteel Mathias1ORCID, Van Den Broeck Wim3ORCID, Bossier Peter4, Dantas-Lima João J.1, Nauwynck Hans J.2ORCID
Affiliation:
1. IMAQUA, 9080 Lochristi, Belgium 2. Laboratory of Virology, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium 3. Department of Morphology, Medical Imaging, Orthopedics, Physiotherapy and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium 4. Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Abstract
White spot disease (WSD) is a severe viral threat to the global shrimp aquaculture industry. However, little is known about white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) transmission dynamics. Our aim was to elucidate this in Litopenaeus vannamei using peroral in vivo WSSV challenge experiments. We demonstrated that WSD progression was rapid and irreversible, leading to death within 78 h. Viral DNA shedding was detected within 6 h of disease onset. This shedding intensified over time, reaching a peak within 12 h of the time of death. Isolating shrimp (clinically healthy and diseased) from infected populations at different time points post-inoculation showed that host-to-host WSSV transmission was occurring around the time of death. Exposing sentinels to environmental components (i.e., water, feces, molts) collected from tanks housing WSSV-infected shrimp resulted in a significantly (p-value < 0.05) increased infection risk after exposure to water (1.0) compared to the risk of infection after exposure to feces (0.2) or molts (0.0). Furthermore, ingestion of WSSV-infected tissues (cannibalism) did not cause a significantly higher number of WSD cases compared to immersion in water in which the same degree of cannibalism had taken place.
Funder
Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Subject
Virology,Infectious Diseases
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