Presence of Infectious Hypodermal and Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) in Native Shrimps from Southern Mexico

A survey for Infectious Hypodermal and Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) was performed during two catching seasons of native shrimps in the Yucatan Coast in the Gulf of Mexico. The mtDNA COI barcode identified two endemic species;the southern pink shrimp Penaeus notialis (Pérez Fantante, 1967) and the northern pink shrimp Penaeus brasiliensis (Latreille, 1987) (previously described as Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis). The prevalence of IHHNV was of 18.18% in 2016, and of 8.57% in 2017. All organisms tested negative for WSSV. This is the first identification of wild shrimps in the state of Yucatan Mexico by mtDNA COI barcode as well as the first identification of IHHNV in such species. The presence of IHHNV in wild shrimps populations has a potential of persisting in the coast of Yucatan with putative detrimental effect on local fisheries because once established in natural waters and hosts;such pathogens are almost impossible to eradicate.

In Silico Analysis of the Cross-Reactivity of Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Allergens with Other Arthropod Species

This study provided new data in the area of cross-reactivity for Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Although the cross-reactivity between the most prominent allergenic proteins of shrimp and other crustaceans has been extensively studied, few data are showing the frequency of arthropod-shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei cosensitization in an in silico analysis. A comparative analysis of “typical and non-typical” shrimp L. vannamei allergens with other species was achieved, revealing new allergens and previously characterized shrimp allergens, which validated the comprehensive identification approach used in this study. Importantly, up to 192, amino acid sequences were identified that had matches to shrimp L. vannamei allergens that matched allergenic proteins in mites, insects, fish, bacteria, mammals, birds, and plants.

Landscape Analysis for PaV1 Infection in Lobsters Panulirus argus from the Artisanal Fishery of the Eastern Coast of Yucatan, Mexico

Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1) is considered a major threat to spiny lobsters Panulirus argus. In this study Geospatial analysis was used to analyze PaV1 distribution in an artisanal fishery of spiny lobster Panulirus argus population from the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Adult and sub-adult P. argus and seabed coverage data were collected from thirty artisanal fishing sites. Five seabed coverage types were identified: seagrass;sand/seagrass mixture;sand only;coral/sand mixture;and seaweed. No juveniles were examined. Of the 358 collected lobsters, PaV1 was identified in four organisms (three sub-adults and one adult) from two fishing sites (termed A & B), both found in a seagrass coverage area. Overall prevalence was of 1.12%. Prevalence was of 20% (2/10) at one site and of 12.6% (2/16) at the other.

Early Detection of White Spot Syndrome Virus(WSSV)in Isolated Hemocytes of Litopenaeus vannamei

To date, White Spot Syndrome (WSS) produced by the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) causes one of the most severe diseases infecting penaeid shrimps worldwide. Although a vast amount of studies has elucidated pathogenesis in live infection models, there is still little information about the interaction of WSSV infections using in vitro models in the whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (L. vannamei) hemocytes. In this study, a WSSV infection kinetics was performed using total hemocytes isolated from healthy L. vannamei organisms and maintained in in vitro conditions using isotonic solution for shrimp (ISS). The infected experimental cells received ≈ 30,000 viral copies of WSSV. The viability of the hemocytes (control and infected group) was measured during the kinetics with trypan blue exclusion method and cells were maintained up to 6 hpi (post-infection) with non-significant differences of viability between both groups. WSSV replication was assessed using RT- PCR at the RNA expression level of the early viral gene Ie1 and transcripts were detected as early as 30 min pi. Hemocytes from WSSV group showed disrupted integrity, degranulation and irregular shape. This study provides evidence of the capability of WSSV to infect and replicates in L. vannamei hemocytes using in vitro assays in short times as 30 min.