Co-Infection of Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) in the Wild Crustaceans of Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago, India.

Kandasamy Saravanan,Thangaraj Sathish Kumar,Utpal Biswas,Rajendran Kiruba-Sankar,Varsha Devi,Mansour El-Matbouli,Jayasimhan Praveenraj,Gokhlesh Kumar,Arun Sudhagar

doi:10.3390/v13071378

Abstract

The present study was intended to screen the wild crustaceans for co-infection with Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) in Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago, India. We screened a total of 607 shrimp and 110 crab samples using a specific polymerase chain reaction, and out of them, 82 shrimps (13.5%) and 5 (4.5%) crabs were found positive for co-infection of IHHNV and WSSV. A higher rate of co-infection was observed in Penaeus monodon and Scylla serrata than other shrimp and crab species. The nucleotide sequences of IHHNV and WSSV obtained from crab in this present study exhibited very high sequence identity with their counterparts retrieved from various countries. Histopathological analysis of the infected shrimp gill sections further confirmed the eosinophilic intra-nuclear cowdry type A inclusion bodies and basophilic intra-nuclear inclusion bodies characteristics of IHHNV and WSSV infections, respectively. The present study serves as the first report on co-infection of WSSV and IHHNV in Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago, India and accentuates the critical need for continuous monitoring of wild crustaceans and appropriate biosecurity measures for brackishwater aquaculture.

Highlights

Viruses pose a major threat to human and animal health in comparison to other pathogens across the globe
Varying degrees of co-infection with Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) were found across the landing centres and among the shrimp species
Co-infection was higher in Penaeus monodon (n = 72) followed by P. merguiensis (n = 6), P. indicus (n = 3) and P. penicillatus (n = 1)

Summary

Introduction

Viruses pose a major threat to human and animal health in comparison to other pathogens across the globe. White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) are the widespread and most prevalent pathogens causing mass mortality and growth retardation leading to huge economic losses in crustaceans [3,4,5]. WSSV is the double-stranded DNA virus known to infect more than 40 penaeid and non-penaeid species of crustaceans [11,12]. Both the viruses are known to have a wide host range among which mud crabs are considered as a potential threat to shrimp aquaculture as they are highly tolerant and serve as carriers for a long period without exhibiting any signs and symptoms [13,14]

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Discussion

Conclusion