White spot syndrome virus in Penaeid shrimp cultured in Korea

Because of the great concern over the possibility of contamination from the rod-shaped nuclear virus (PRDV) from Japan and white spot virus (WSSV) from Taiwan, most eggs used in Korean shrimp farms are currently obtained from local broodstock. In addition, the screening of imported broodstock for any viral presence at the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute is also mandatory. Nonetheless, massive mortality from white spot syndrome continues in Korea. In the present study, we present an improved PCR method to use tissue-extracted DNA instead of viral DNA extracted from a purified virus based on a sucrose density gradient, and produced results within 8 h. In 1998, this modified PCR method was able to detect that diseased Penaeus japonicus were infected only with PRDV, while Fenneropenaeus chinensis were infected with both PRDV and WSSV. In 1999, PRDV and WSSV were detected in F: chinensis with signs of infection, but not with WSSV alone.