Date: 23 June 1998
From John Lamb <jl@smmi.co.uk>
To: <AQUA-L@killick.ifmt.nf.ca>
QUESTION:
I am looking for some information on a disease of shrimp that goes by the name of 'Taura'.
John Lamb
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COMMENTS 1:
You are talking about the Taura Syndrome which occurs in the presence of a set of pathogens (three viruses and a bacterial species). It originated in South America and has since spread to many shrimp farming operations in North America and the Pacific. The major symptom is an increase in the chromatophores causing the shrimp to turn reddish. Major mortalities occur after moulting.
AndyMCrowe@aol.com
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COMMENTS 2:
The etiological agent is dubbed the Taura Syndrome (TSV) after the region it was first identified in Ecuador, and Lightner et al. identify it as a picornavius. For more information get a copy of "A Handbook of Shrimp Pathology and Diagnostic Procedures For Diseases of Cultured Penaeid Shrimp" that is edited by Don Lightner and published by WAS.
Howard W. Newman
e-mail: Bshrimp@aol.com
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COMMENTS 3:
The syndrome began in Ecuador in the zone of the Taura river in Ecuador, around 1992. It was first limited to that area but in 2 years it moved to most of the Guayas Gulf.
The gross symptoms were:
massive mortality in shrimps before 2g in weight
white soft spots that later turned black
the gut was empty and expanded, was only full of a white milky fluid
shrimp over 5g were resistant
The histopathology of the shrimp demonstrated multifocal acute necrosis of the cuticular epithelium.
At first it was believed to be an effect of the fungicides used in the banana plantations (Tilt (Cibageigy) and Calixin (BASF)), what led to this conclusion was among other:
no infectious agent was found
tthe symptoms began at the same time the use of these fungicides began
the occurrence of the symptoms was aggravated during the rainy season, and the use of the chemicals was heavier in the rainy season
the zone where the syndrome began was adjacent to the banana plantations that were using these chemicals
the syndrome was replicated using these chemicals, and at first the symptoms couldn't be replicated using dead shrimps from taura syndrome.
At the end of 1994 a virus was discovered in shrimps presenting the same symptoms. It was called the "Taura Syndrome Virus".
Some people who were doing research in Ecuador on the subject said (and still say) that there are 2 different "diseases" (a Taura Toxicity Syndrome and a Taura-like Virus Disease). That the virus should be called "Taura-like Virus" and that these 2 diseases have similar symptoms but are different.
For more information on this hypothesis you can contact Dr. Roberto Jimenez.
Barcillo
Barcillo@gu.pro.ec
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/1155/index.html
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COMMENTS 4:
Please look under the name Taura Syndrome which is a shrimp virus which began devastating shrimp farms in Ecuador along the estuary of the Taura River around 1993 or 1994. The virus soon spread to Honduras, before making its long way north to Texas and North Caroline. It had crippled the US shrimp industry, especially hitting hard in Texas about two years ago.
Alfredo Quarto, ,Co-Direcotr
Mangrove Action Project
4649 Sunnyside Ave. N, Suite 321
Seattle, WA 98103 USA
Fax (206) 545-4498
mailto: mangroveap@olympus.net
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COMMENTS 5:
Has any work been done with immunostimulants to try and control this problem? Would anybody be interested in trialing a new immunostimulant/antistress product for shrimp? The product would work extremely well along with antibiotics.
James A. Mackie (Agricultural) "Any product anywhere"
James A. Macke (Pharmaceuticals) "Innovation and Partnership"
PO Box 14771, Alloa, UK FK10 2EW
Tel: 44 + (0) 1259 215136
Fax: 44 + (0) 1259 211053
e-mail: mackieaquacultur@tory.org.uk
www.scoot.co.uk/james_a_mackie/