Chapter 28 - Parvoviruses of Crustaceans

Abstract

The family Parvoviridae is subdivided into two subfamilies. Subfamily Parvovirinae contains viruses of vertebrates, and subfamily Densovirinae contains viruses of insects and shrimp. The shrimp viruses were previously known as hepatopancreatic parvoviruses of prawns and shrimp and infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis viruses of prawns and shrimp. They are now placed in two genera: genus Hepandensovirus, with seven viruses, and genus Penstyldensovirus, with four viruses. Hepandensoviruses are widespread and cause hepatopancreatic disease in cultured shrimp populations when larvae from wild-caught shrimp are introduced. Penstyldensoviruses also are widespread in nature and cause infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis, which is no longer a major economic problem because tolerant shrimp populations have been developed. This topic was addressed in the review article by Timothy W. Flegel, “Historic emergence, impact and current status of shrimp pathogens in Asia” from Journal of Invertebrate Pathology (2012), which describes the status of shrimp viruses in Asia to foster understanding of the historic importance of penstyldensoviruses and the capacity of hepandensoviruses to cause disease.