RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHITE SPOT SYNDROME VIRUS-INFECTION AND CLINICALMANIFESTATION IN INDIAN CULTURED PENAEID SHRIMP

The present paper describes three distinct forms of white spot syndrom e outbreaks associated with White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV), among cu ltured penaeid shrimp (Penaeus monodon and Penaeus indicus)) of India. In a type I outbreak (acute to subacute), the tissue level severity o f infection was moderate to high, significant mortalities occurred wit hin 7-10 days, and the affected shrimp had prominent white spots on th e carapace as the principal clinical sign. In a type II outbreak (pera cute), the affected shrimp displayed massive reddening, the tissue lev el severity of infection was very high, and mass mortalites occurred w ithin 2-3 days. Type III outbreak (chronic), had low tissue level seve rity of infection, white spots and reddening were absent, and the mort alities were spread over a duration of 15-28 days. The peracute form w as more common in juveniles while acute to subacute and chronic forms were common in sub-adults and adults. Acute to subacute forms of the d isease were observed in 60% of the outbreaks, while chronic and peracu te forms were observed in 30 and 10% of the outbreaks, respectively. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.