White spot syndrome disease: Review

Abstract

Shrimp farming is an expanding profitable economic activity whose main obstacles are viral disease outbreaks. Among those, the White Spot Syndrome Disease (WSSD) stands out because of its virulence and mortality rate. The first outbreak report was in Asia in 1992, and since then the agent has spread to shrimp farming worldwide. The White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is constituted by DNA and all animals of the Decapoda order are sensitive to this agent, independently of salinity. Several other organisms are also susceptible to WSSV, from polychaetes to lobsters. Infection can occur in three ways: vertical; horizontal; or by water. The White Spot designation was given because of the mineralization white spots that form on the carapace of sick shrimps, however they may not be considered pathognomonic. For the diagnosis, it is recommended to perform anamnesis, fresh examination, histopathology, and confirm with a molecular test such as PCR or LAMP. There is no effective treatment and prevention is the best solution. Thus, as Brazil is a great producer of L. vannamei, and is seeking to domite the foreign market, it is essential to expand the study of this disease.