Response of crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, haemocytes infected by white spot syndrome virus

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a serious pathogen of aquatic crustaceans. Little is known about its transmission in vivo and the immune reaction of its hosts. In this study, the circulating haemocytes of crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, infected by WSSV, and primary haemocyte cultures inoculated with WSSV, were collected and observed by transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy following in situ hybridization. In ultra-thin sections of infected haemocytes, the enveloped virions were seen to be phagocytosed in the cytoplasm and no viral particles were observed in the nuclei. In situ hybridization with WSSV-specific probes also demonstrated that there were no specific positive signals present in the haemocytes. Conversely, strong specific positive signals showed that WSSV replicated in the nuclei of gill cells. As a control, the lymphoid organ of shrimp, Penaeus monodon, infected by WSSV was examined by in situ hybridization which showed that WSSV did not replicate within the tubules of the lymphoid organ. In contrast to previous studies, it is concluded that neither shrimp nor crayfish haemocytes support WSSV replication.     

刀额新对虾原代淋巴细胞培养及其感染白斑综合征病毒（WSSV）的病理特征

为深入了解对虾白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)的致病机理和体外培养的对虾细胞对WSSV的敏感性,实验以1.5×L-15培养基培养刀额新对虾原代淋巴细胞,待细胞形成单层后接种WSSV,通过倒置显微镜、荧光显微镜、透射电子显微镜观察接种病毒后细胞的病理变化。结果显示,使用1.5×L-15培养基培养对虾淋巴组织,3 h后可观察到有细胞迁出,并能迅速形成单层,36 h后细胞的迁出汇合率可达80%,且能存活20 d以上。接种WSSV 24 h后,出现病变的细胞变圆、漂浮,细胞之间的网状结构消失,最后细胞破碎、溶解;接种WSSV 48 h后Hoechst 33342染色结果显示,感染的细胞核深染,且变形、膨大;电镜下,细胞核内含大量成簇分布的杆状病毒,细胞器被挤向细胞边缘,细胞膜轮廓模糊。研究表明,纯化的病毒粒子接种体外培养的淋巴细胞,能够使其产生明显病理变化,证明了WSSV对体外培养的淋巴细胞具有感染力,并且可在淋巴细胞中增殖。     

白斑症病毒在日本对虾体内的感染增殖

用投喂患白斑症病毒病的虾组织人工感染日本对虾稚虾,每日取样,整虾冰冻切片,单克隆抗体的荧光抗体方法,原位观察病毒在虾体内的感染增殖,结果表明：感染后三天内,在感染虾的各组织器官内均未观察到明显的病毒感染的阳性细胞,每四天首先在鳃丝腔内的小量血细胞观察到病毒感染;第五天除血细胞外同时在血窦,鳃上皮组织,皮下组织内观察到,第六天进而在心脏,胃上皮组织内观察到：第七天进一步又在淋巴器官,中肠内观察到,八     

Apoptosis does not play an important role in the resistance of 'immune' Penaeus japonicus against white spot syndrome virus

We previously demonstrated that kuruma shrimp, Penaeus japonicus, exposed to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) became resistant ('immune' shrimp) to subsequent challenge with the virus. The present study investigated the role of apoptosis in the 'immune' shrimp during a secondary challenge with WSSV. When naive kuruma shrimp were intramuscularly injected with WSSV at a high or low dose, apoptosis was often detected by TUNEL assay in the lymphoid organ (LO), mainly in the early stage of the infection. A significantly higher incidence of apoptosis was observed in the LO of the shrimp injected with the high dose of WSSV (cumulative mortality: 100%) than in the shrimp injected with the low dose (cumulative mortality: 0%). When 'immune' and naive shrimp were injected with an equal dose of WSSV, the incidence of apoptosis was significantly lower in the 'immune' shrimp than in the naive shrimp. This difference is assumed to result from a substantial reduction of the virus by humoral neutralizing factor in the 'immune' shrimp. These results suggest that apoptosis is not a principal protective factor in 'immune' shrimp.     

Light and electron microscopic evidence of white spot disease in the giant tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), and the kuruma shrimp, Penaeus japonicus (Bate), cultured in Taiwan

Since 1992, mass mortalities among cultured giant tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), and kuruma shrimp, Penaeus japonicus (Bate), have been observed in Taiwan. The condition is known as 'white spot disease' (WSD), based on the characteristic white spots on the cuticle of diseased shrimp. With the scanning electron microscope, two sizes of white spots were observed. Each spot represented a protrusion on the inside surface of the carapace. The composition of white spots was similar to that of the cuticule, most calcium, as determined with an energy dispersive spectrometer. Histological studies of moribund, infected specimens revealed degenerated cells, characterized by hypertrophied nuclei, in various meso- and ectodermal tissues. Infected tissues included cuticular epidermis, connective tissue, lymphoid organ, antennal gland, and haematopoietic, gill and nervous tissue. Nuclei were Feulgen-positive and no occlusion body was found in the necrotic tissue. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of rod-shaped and enveloped virions in the hypertrophied nuclei. The virions measured 298 ± 21 × 107 ± 8 nm in the giant tiger shrimp and 248 ± 12 × 104 ± 8 nm in the kuruma shrimp. In an experimental infection trial, cumulative mortality was 40% within 14 days under stress conditions. No mortality was observed in controls or in non-stressed infected shrimp. Experimental infections show that environmental stressors such as ammonia may enhance the severity of WSD virus infections in cultured shrimp.     

中国对虾（Penaeus chinensis）杆状病毒病的研究↑（*）

１９９３年养殖的中国对虾（ＰｅｎａｅｕｓＣｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）发生了暴发性流行，经人工感染和电镜观察，证实是由杆状病毒引起的。病虾活力差。体色暗淡或微红，头胸甲上有浅黄色至白色的斑点，头胸甲与表皮下粘连，容易剥离，血淋巴混浊，淋巴器官和肝胰腺肿大，糜烂，在肝胰腺，淋巴器官，中肠，皮下组织和鳃等组织细胞的核内均发现有大量病毒粒子，病毒粒子杆状，无包涵体，具囊膜，平均长３５０ｎｍ，宽１５０ｎｍ，核衣壳体     

Experimental infection of European crustaceans with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)

Eight European marine and freshwater crustaceans were experimentally infected with diluted shrimp haemolymph infected with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Clinical signs of infection and mortalities of the animals were routinely recorded. Diagnosis was by direct transmission electron microscopy (TEM), DNA hybridization (dot-blot and in situ hybridization) using WSSV probes and by PCR using WSSV specific primers. High mortality rates were noted between 7 to 21 days post-infection for Liocarcinus depurator , Liocarcinus puber , Cancer pagurus , Astacus leptodactylus , Orconectes limosus , Palaemon adspersus and Scyllarus arctus . Mortality reached 100%, 1 week post-infection in P. adspersus . When infection was successful, direct TEM observation of haemolymph revealed characteristic viral particles of WSSV, some observed as complete virions (enveloped), others as nucleocapsids associated with envelope debris. WSSV probes showed strong positive reactions in dot-blots and by in situ hybridization in sections and specific virus DNA fragments were amplified successfully with WSSV primers. White spot syndrome virus was pathogenic for the majority of the crustaceans tested. This underlines the epizootic potential of this virus in European crustaceans.     

高位池养殖过程凡纳滨对虾携带WSSV情况的动态变化

为了更好地预防对虾白斑综合征(WSS)的暴发,探讨该病毒病的流行规律,笔者针对养殖过程中对虾的携带WSSV情况展开调查。调查于2010年7月-2010年11月广东省汕尾市红海湾养殖场进行,从10口凡纳滨对虾高位养殖池中随机抽取6口进行跟踪采样。收集指标包括对虾生长状况、基本环境指标、浮游微藻种群结构和对虾病毒携带量等。本文重点报道利用实时定量PCR-TaqMan探针法检测6口精养池塘对虾体内WSSV的携带量变化情况,检测结果显示:①1-3号虾池苗种携带WSSV,其波动范围在1.3×103~1.7×104copy/g之间;②对虾在养殖过程中均带毒,鳃组织中的平均病毒携带量(2.3×109copy/g)多于肌肉组织中的平均病毒携带量(3.2×108copy/g),且变化趋势一致,但没有显著性差异(P>0.05);③在整个养殖过程中对虾WSSV携带量总体呈现波动上升的趋势,期间各池出现过数次高值。前期WSSV拷贝数的波动范围在1.3×103~3.0×107copy/g之间,后期上升到1.5×106~1.2×1011copy/g,使得某些池塘养殖对虾WSS暴发。调查结果说明:1)对虾携带WSSV可以进行养殖生长;2)WSSV在对虾体内的含量是变化的,且其变化存在着一定的规律性;3)这种变化规律主要体现在带毒量随着养殖时间的进行及外界水环境中某些主要因子的变化而变化,如:养殖时间越长,带毒量越高;养殖环境中某些关键环境因子的改变,如:温差较大,不良藻相转换,天气骤变等均可引起对虾体内病毒含量较大的波动。鉴此,作者提出,构建并维持良好的浮游微藻的群落结构,注意有害藻相改变时保持养殖水体环境稳定,对环境突变前后都做好应对对虾应激的措施等可以极大程度地减少WSS暴发的可能。本研究通过对WSSV的密切跟踪,旨在更好的反映其在养殖环境下的动态变化规律,以及受各种环境因子影响的情况,从而为预防对虾WSS提供依据和参考。     

Experimental host range and histopathology of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in shrimp, prawns, crabs and lobsters from India

Experimental studies were conducted by injecting or feeding white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) derived from infected shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), collected from the south-east coast of India, to five species of shrimp, two species of freshwater prawns, four species of crabs and three species of lobsters. All species examined were susceptible to the virus. Experimental infections in the shrimp had the same clinical symptoms and histopathological characteristics as in naturally infected P. monodon . A cumulative mortality of 100% was observed within 5–7 days in shrimp injected with WSSV and 7–9 days in shrimp fed with infected tissue. Two species of mud crab, Scylla sp., survived the infection for 30 days without any clinical symptoms. All three species of lobsters, Panulirus sp., and the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man), survived the infection for 70 days without clinical symptoms. However, bioassay and histology using healthy P. monodon revealed that crabs, prawns and lobsters may act as asymptomatic carriers/reservoir hosts of WSSV. This is the first report to suggest the carrier/reservoir capacity of these hosts through histological and bioassay evidences. Ultrastructural details of the virus in experimentally infected shrimp, P. vannamei , (Boone), were also studied.     

Three tetraspanins from Chinese shrimp, Fenneropenaeus chinensis, may play important roles in WSSV infection

Three members of the tetraspanin/TM₄SF superfamily were cloned from Chinese shrimp, Fenneropenaeus chinensis . The deduced amino acid sequences of the three proteins have typical motifs of the tetraspanin/TM₄SF superfamily. Phylogenetic analysis of the proteins, together with the known tetraspanins of invertebrates and vertebrates, revealed that they belong to different tetraspanin subfamilies: CD9, CD63 and tetraspanin-3. The three cloned genes of CD9, CD63 and tetraspanin-3 showed apparently different tissue distributions. The CD9 gene ( FcCD9 ) was specifically expressed in the hepatopancreas. While for the CD63 gene ( FcCD63 ), the highest expression was detected in nerves, epidermis and heart, with low expression in haemocytes, ovary, gill, hepatopancreas and stomach and no expression in intestine, muscle and lymphoid organ. Compared with FcCD9 and FcCD63 , the tetraspanin-3 gene ( FcTetraspanin-3 ) was more broadly expressed and its highest expression was detected in the intestine. Its expression in nerves was lower than in the intestine, but was higher than in other tissues. Expression in haemocytes, ovary and muscle was much lower than in other tissues. The expression profiles of FcCD9 , FcCD63 and FcTetraspanin-3 in different tissues, including haemocytes, lymphoid organ and hepatopancreas, were compared by real-time PCR when shrimp were challenged by live white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and heat-inactivated WSSV. All three tetraspanins were markedly up-regulated in the live WSSV-challenged shrimp tissues. The data suggested that the three cloned members of TM₄SF superfamily in Chinese shrimp may play a key role in the route of WSSV infection.     

中国对虾雄性生殖系统感染WSSV在其垂直传播中的作用

通过人工感染实验,对中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)雄性亲虾进行投喂感染。在确定其携带WSSV粒子后,将被WSSV感染的精荚人工移植到健康的雌虾纳精囊内。在无其他病源的情况下,促其产卵繁殖,统计各组子代的受精率、孵化率及无节幼体至溞状幼体的变态率贸?式PCR技术对亲虾及子代进行WSSV检测。结果表明,受WSSV感染的精荚能够把病毒传播给健康雌虾,雌虾能产出携带WSSV的卵子,培育出带毒幼体。各组子代的受精率、孵化率及变态率的统计结果表明,感染组和对照组在受精率上没有明显区别,受WSSV感染的精卵细胞可以正常结合。对照组受精卵的孵化率明显高于感染组,差异显著(P=0.045<0.05)。对照组无节幼体的变态率也高于感染组。说明WSSV的入侵对受精卵及幼体的发育有影响,WSSV感染导致部分受精卵及幼体不能正常发育或死亡。     

A Profound Effect of Hyperthermia on Survival of Litopenaeus vannamei Juveniles Infected with White Spot Syndrome Virus

This study was conducted to examine the effect of increasing seawater temperature on White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) infection in juvenile Pacific White shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ). Infection by WSSV was achieved using two methods, intramuscular injection and per os (oral) administration. Forty injected and 20 per os infected animals were kept in heated tanks at 32.3 ± 0.8 C, and the same number of WSSV infected animals were maintained in tanks at ambient temperature (25.8 ± 0.7 C). Despite the route of exposure, there were no survivors among the animals kept at ambient temperature; whereas, in heated tanks the survival of the WSSV infected juvenile shrimp was always above 80%, suggesting the existence of a beneficial effect from hyperthermia that mitigated the progression of WSSV disease. Moreover, this beneficial effect was not attributable to viral inactivation. Infected animals kept at 32 C had histologically detectable lymphoid organ spheroids suggestive of a chronic viral infection but were PCR negative (hemolymph) for WSSV. These findings might be related to low viral replication in WSSV-infected shrimp held at the higher environmental temperature. When the WSSV-infected shrimp were transferred from 32 C to ambient temperature, the mortality from WSSV ensued and was always 100%. Although the mechanism related to the beneficial effect of heating was not determined, our results indicate that increasing the water temperature modifies dramatically the natural history of the WSSV disease and the survival curves of WSSV-infected juvenile Pacific White shrimp.     

Lymphoid organ cell culture system from Penaeus monodon (Fabricius) as a platform for white spot syndrome virus and shrimp immune-related gene expression

Shrimp cell lines are yet to be reported and this restricts the prospects of investigating the associated viral pathogens, especially white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). In this context, development of primary cell cultures from lymphoid organs was standardized. Poly-l-lysine-coated culture vessels enhanced growth of lymphoid cells, while the application of vertebrate growth factors did not, except insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Susceptibility of the lymphoid cells to WSSV was confirmed by immunofluoresence assay using monoclonal antibody against the 28 kDa envelope protein of WSSV. Expression of viral and immune-related genes in WSSV-infected lymphoid cultures could be demonstrated by RT-PCR. This emphasizes the utility of lymphoid primary cell culture as a platform for research in virus-cell interaction, virus morphogenesis, up and downregulation of shrimp immune-related genes, and also for the discovery of novel drugs to combat WSSV in shrimp culture.     

感染白斑综合症病毒中国对虾雄性生殖系统的PCR检测与电镜观察

通过人工投喂携带WSSV的毒饵，对性腺发育成熟的中国对虾（Fenneropenaeus chinensis）雄虾（♂）进行感染实验。采用nest-PCR（巢式PCR）技术，检测感染后的中国对虾雄性生殖系统受WSSV感染情况，同时选取感染严重的虾样进行电镜观察。巢式PCR检测结果表明，感染组中国对虾的精巢、输精管和精囊均被WSSV感染，其中精囊呈阳性的最多，输精管次之，精巢最少。通过电镜进一步观察发现，WSSV粒子只存在于精巢、输精管和精囊的结缔组织中，而在其他组织和生殖细胞中均未发现病毒粒子。其中，精巢中WSSV粒子存在于精巢内两个生精小管之间的结缔组织；输精管中WSSV粒子存在于管壁的结缔组织；精囊中WSSV粒子也只存在于精囊内膜的结缔组织和精荚膜的结缔组织中。PCR检测和电镜观察结果均表明，WSSV粒子能感染中国对虾的雄性生殖系统且对性腺感染存在着一定的组织特异性。     

卤虫在WSSV病毒病传播中的媒介作用

2003年8月对卤虫进行投喂(浸泡)感染,并进行中国明对虾投喂实验。各组对虾阳性感染率的单因素方差分析比较结果表明,卤虫可以携带有活性的WSSV病毒粒子,并可通过摄食导致对虾间接地携带病毒,但病毒感染能力有限。卤虫病理切片观察结果显示,攻毒后卤虫细胞核没有显著深染及核肿大现象,但无论是横切还是纵切均显示有上皮脱落、部分组织结构松散、细胞结构不完整现象。本试验确定卤虫成体可以携带WSSV并通过投喂感染对虾,使其潜在携带病毒,仔虾阶段投喂成体卤虫应经过严格检疫,制作含有经过检疫卤虫的微囊饵料作为卤虫及其他鲜活饵料的替代品或许是有效的防病措施。     

Production of polyclonal antiserum against recombinant VP28 protein and its application for the detection of white spot syndrome virus in crustaceans

The VP28 gene of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was cloned into pRSET B expression vector. The VP28 protein was expressed as a protein with a 6-histidine taq in Escherichia coli GJ1158 with NaCl induction. Antiserum was raised against this recombinant-VP28 protein in rabbits and it recognized VP28 protein in naturally and experimentally WSSV-infected shrimp, marine crabs, freshwater prawns and freshwater crabs. The antiserum did not recognize any of the other known WSSV structural proteins. Various organs such as eyestalks, head muscle, gill tissue, heart tissue, haemolymph, tail tissue and appendages were found to be good materials for detection of WSSV using the antiserum and detection of WSSV was successful in experimentally infected Penaeus monodon and P. indicus at 12 and 24 h post-infection (p.i.), respectively. The antiserum was capable of detecting WSSV in 5 ng of total haemolymph protein from WSSV-infected shrimp.     

Assessment of transmission risk in WSSV-infected shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei upon cooking

White spot syndrome virus has been a threat to the global shrimp industry since it was discovered in Taiwan in 1992. Thus, shrimp-producing countries have launched regulations to prevent import of WSSV-infected commodity shrimp from endemic areas. Recently, cooked shrimp that is infected with WSSV tested positive by PCR. However, there is no study to determine the infectivity of WSSV in cooked shrimp that tested positive by PCR. In the present study, WSSV-infected shrimp were cooked at boiling temperature for different times including 0, 1, 3, 5, 10 and 30 min. Upon exposure to boiling temperature, WSSV-infected shrimp were fed to SPF shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The result showed experimentally challenged shrimp from 0-min treatment (positive control) indeed got infected with WSSV. However, experimentally challenged shrimp that were fed tissues boiled at 1, 3, 5, 10 and 30 min were not infected with WSSV. Mortality data showed that only the positive control (0-min) treatment displayed high mortality, whereas no mortality was observed in any other treatment category. These findings suggest that cooking shrimp at boiling temperature for at least 1 min might prevent any potential spread of WSSV from endemic countries to other geographical areas where WSSV has not yet been reported.     

Quantitative real time PCR for the measurement of white spot syndrome virus in shrimp

Quantitative real time PCR, recently developed in molecular biology, is applied in this paper to quantify the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in infected shrimp tissue. The WSSV content in moribund shrimp of all species tested ( Penaeus stylirostris, P. monodon, P. vannamei ) ranged from 2.0 × 10⁴ to 9.0 × 10¹⁰ WSSV copies μg^–1 of total DNA ( n =26). In whole moribund post-larvae, 4.3 × 10⁹ WSSV copies μg^–1 of DNA were detected which is equivalent to 5.7 × 10¹⁰ WSSV copies g^–1 of post-larvae. The comparison of WSSV content between different tissues showed that muscle and hepatopancreas tissues contained 10 times less virus than gills, pleopods and haemolymph. With inocula of known virus content, bioassays by immersion challenge showed that a minimum of five logs of WSSV copies was necessary to establish disease in the challenged shrimp. In contrast, five logs of WSSV copies injected into shrimp muscle produced a LT-50 of 52 h. This real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is sensitive (four copies), specific (negative with DNA from shrimp baculoviruses and parvoviruses), dynamic (seven logs) and easy to perform (96 tests in <4 h).     

A rapid non-enzymatic method of DNA extraction for PCR detection of white spot syndrome virus in shrimp

The present study describes a simple method of extraction of white spot syndrome viral DNA (WSSV) from infected shrimp for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of WSSV. The DNA preparation using this method was found to be free from the host DNA, RNA and protein, and is suitable for different PCR protocols such as single‐step PCR, nested PCR and single‐tube semi‐nested PCR. This method of extraction has worked successfully for extracting the WSSV‐DNA from different organs (haemolymph, eyestalk, carapace, head muscle, heart, gills, appendages, heptopancreas, stomach, intestine, abdominal muscle and tail muscle) of WSSV‐infected adult shrimp, and WSSV‐infected larvae and postlarvae.     

病原感染条件下中国对虾二倍体和三倍体血液学变化

以热休克诱导获得中国对虾三倍体，通过口服或注射的方式对二倍体和三倍体中国对虾进行了白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)和鳗弧菌感染实验，研究了病原感染前后二倍体和三倍体中国对虾血液学的变化并首次报道了三倍体中国对虾血细胞的组成。实验结果表明：三倍体和二倍体中国对虾均对WSSV敏感，三倍体未显示出明显的抗性。WSSV感染4d后，对虾外周循环系统的血细胞数量明显减少，三倍体和二倍体对虾血细胞数量均降为对照组的10％左右。对虾血细胞组成发生变化，大颗粒细胞明显减少，小颗粒细胞相应增加，而透明细胞所占比例基本不变；大颗粒细胞和小颗粒细胞内颗粒物质均有所减少，出现空泡或细胞外突起等异常结构。注射鳗弧菌感染后两种对虾的血细胞数量均有所减少，血细胞数量的减少与弧菌的注射量呈正相关关系：三倍体中国对虾血细胞组成与二倍体相似，但其密度仅为二倍体的40％左右：本研究结果为三倍体对虾抗逆特性的研究提供了一定依据和参考。