Hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM) caused by a microsporidium, enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is now considered as the economically most important emergent disease by the world organization…

This $389,782 Cooperative Agreement award from the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025), aims to develop highly specific and validated TaqMan assays for the simultaneous detection of two critical shrimp diseases: Hepatopancreatic Microsporidiosis (HPM) caused by Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) and Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VPAHPND).

The key deliverables include validated primer sets and protocols for the specific detection of EHP and VPAHPND using TaqMan real-time PCR assays, as well as a duplex TaqMan assay for the simultaneous detection of the two pathogens. The project also aims to determine optimal sample pooling size for the detection of EHP and VPAHPND using the duplex assay. These validated diagnostic tools will benefit shrimp breeding companies, farmers, and aquatic animal health professionals working to address these economically important shrimp diseases.

Activities

The activities would include determining the analytical characteristics, diagnostic characteristics, and reproducibility of taqman assay in detecting EHP, vpahpnd, and both EHP and vpahpnd simultaneously. In addition, efforts will be made to determine sample pooling size in detecting EHP and vpahpnd simultaneously using a duplex taqman PCR assay. Deliverables and expected outcomes: the deliverables and outcomes include: a. A set of validated primers (i.e. oligonucleotide sequence) and a protocol for specific detection of EHP using a taqman real-time PCR assay. B. A set of validated primers (i.e. oligonucleotide sequence) and a protocol for specific detection of V pahpnd using a taqman real-time PCR assay. C. A set of validated primers (i.e. oligo nucleotide sequence) and a protocol for specific detection of dual infection by EHP and vpahpnd using a duplex taqman real-time PCR assay.D. Empirical data on sample pooling size in detecting EHP and vpahpnd simultaneously using a duplex taqman assay.

Intended beneficiaries

(I) shrimp breeding companies and farmers raising commodity shrimp in the US and elsewhere. (II) aquatic animal health professionals from academia and industry working on shrimp diseases.