White spot syndrome virus
(WSSV) infectivity for Artemia at different developmental stages
Q. Li, J. Zhang, Y. Chen, F. Yang-2003
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms: 57(3): 261-264
Abstract:
White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a major pathogen
of cultivated shrimp, but its host range includes a large number of
crustaceans. In this investigation, Artemia franciscana was tested
for susceptibility to WSSV by the oral route. Both instars and adults were
challenged, and the presence of WSSV was followed through to reproductive
cysts and offspring using PCR. WSSV caused a much lower cumulative mortality
in Artemia than in cultivated shrimp by 10 d post-challenge. Instars,
adults and reproductive cysts were PCR positive. However, the virus was
undetectable by PCR in nauplii that had hatched from PCR-positive
reproductive cysts. The data indicate that WSSV or WSSV genomic DNA can be
vertically transmitted from WSSV-PCR-positive instars to reproductive cysts,
but this DNA is removed during hatching.
(Department of Biochemistry, Shenyang Pharmaceutical
University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016, PR of China, Email: mbiotech@public.xm.fj.cn)