Changes of enzyme activity and hematopoiesis in Chinese prawn Fenneropenaeus chinensis (Osbeck) induced by white spot syndrome virus and zymosan A

White spot syndrome virus and zymosan A were used to stimulate the Chinese prawn Fenneropenaeus chinensis (Osbeck), and enzyme activities in organs involved in immune defence e.g., lymphoid organ, hepatopancreas and gill, total haemocyte count and mitotic index of haematopoietic tissue (HPT) were measured. The results showed that activities of phenoloxidase (PO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) were higher in lymphoid organ than in gill. The hepatopancreas had no PO activity, its SOD activity was similar to the lymphoid organ, and its ALP and ACP activities were higher than lymphoid organ and gill. Phenoloxidase activity in lymphoid organ was higher than that of the control group at 2 h after injection and lower than control after 24 h. Superoxide dismutase activity in all organs showed an increase. Alkaline phosphatase activity in lymphoid organ and gill was higher than that of the control group at 2 and 24 h after injection respectively. The difference in ACP activity was not significant. After injection with zymosan A, the mitotic index of HPT increased by 1.5‐fold compared with the control, and returned to control level after 48 h.