Quantification of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) in Seawaters Using Real-Time PCR and Correlation Analyses between WSSV and Environmental Parameters

• Published in: The Korean Journal of Microbiology Vol. 44; no. 1
• Main Authors: Song, J.H. (Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea), Choo, Y.J. (Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea), Cho, J.C. (Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea), E-mail: chojc@inha.ac.kr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 01.03.2008
• Subjects: CREVETTE; Fenneropenaeus chinensis; GAMBAS Y CAMARONES; PRAWNS AND SHRIMPS; quantitative real-time PCR; shrimp farm; white spot syndrome virus
• ISSN: 0440-2413

White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is one of the most virulent viral agents in the penaeid shrimp culture industry. In this study, WSSV in a Fenneropenaeus chinensis shrimp farm and an adjacent seawater were concentrated using a membrane filtration and quantified using the quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) method with newly designed primers and Taqman probe. Sensitivity of primers and probe was proven by WSSV standard curve assay in QRT-PCR. In order to demonstrate the relationship between WSSV and environmental parameters, physicochemical and biological parameters of the farm and influent seawaters were monitored from June to September, 2007. The abundance of WSSV ranged 3,814-121,546 copies per 1 liter of seawater, which was correlated with fecal enterococci (r²=0.9, p=0.02), chlorophyll a (r²=0.8, p=0.03) and BOD∧5 (r²=0.8, p=0.07). Subsequently, it is concluded that the QRT-PCR method using Taqman probe established in this study was efficient to clarify the quantification of WSSV in seawaters. Statistical analyses of environmental parameters obtained in this study also showed that the abundance of WSSV was correlated with several biological parameters rather than physicochemical parameters.