This technology seeks to improve on conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing methods for the shrimp aquaculture disease Acute Heptopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND). This new approach is quantitative and targets plasmid toxins that are present in the bacteria that cause AHPND. While conventional AHPND diagnostic PCR kits base their identification on the presence of a single plasmid toxin, this technology improves on this method with increased sensitivity for early diagnosis of this problematic disease.
Background: Aquaculture shrimp farming has grown rapidly over three decades, which has been promoted by aid agencies and governments because it is a cheap source of food protein. However, this rapid growth has invited viral and bacterial disease outbreaks, resulting in high mortality rates in shrimp and economic losses in the market. Of recent concern is AHPND, which is caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus and other Vibrio species. AHPND causes early mortality in shrimp farm stocks and has spread from China to other South East Asian, Latin American, and North American farms. Control of AHPND relies on early, reliable identification of the disease.
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