Risks associated with chemicals and other agents used in attempts to control White Spot Syndrome Virus
By Laurence Massaut, Ph.D. Stanislaus Sonnenholzner, Ph.D. and Claude E. Boyd, Ph.D.
Shrimp farmers in Asia and in the Americas have used a wide array of chemical and biological agents in attempts to control White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) disease. Some of these substances are thought to kill the WSS virus or its potential carriers.
Other substances are claimed to stimulate the immune system of shrimp and help them resist the disease. Substances that improve environmental conditions in ponds – and thereby reduce stress – also are thought to enhance the resistance of shrimp to disease.
The agents used in these attempts may be applied to pond soil and water before shrimp are stocked, applied to the water during the crop, or added to the feed. Although some products may be beneficial when applied to aquaculture systems at low concentrations, they may be toxic to shrimp at higher concentrations, cause environmental problems in ponds or surrounding ecosystems, accumulate in shrimp tissue and present a food safety problem, or be hazardous to workers in the shrimp industry.
In this article, we will comment on the environmental, worker, and food safety status of these substances. This information was compiled from recent literature and the Internet site of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, http://www.epa.gov).
The risk associated with agents used in attempts to control WSSV disease are summarized in Table 1 below.
Shrimp farmers in Asia and in the Americas have used a wide array of chemical and biological agents in attempts to control White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) disease. Some of these substances are thought to kill the WSS virus or its potential carriers.
Other substances are claimed to stimulate the immune system of shrimp and help them resist the disease. Substances that improve environmental conditions in ponds – and thereby reduce stress – also are thought to enhance the resistance of shrimp to disease.
The agents used in these attempts may be applied to pond soil and water before shrimp are stocked, applied to the water during the crop, or added to the feed. Although some products may be beneficial when applied to aquaculture systems at low concentrations, they may be toxic to shrimp at higher concentrations, cause environmental problems in ponds or surrounding ecosystems, accumulate in shrimp tissue and present a food safety problem, or be hazardous to workers in the shrimp industry.
In this article, we will comment on the environmental, worker, and food safety status of these substances. This information was compiled from recent literature and the Internet site of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, http://www.epa.gov).
The risk associated with agents used in attempts to control WSSV disease are summarized in Table 1 below.
To read the full article, Go to: https://www.aquaculturealliance.org/advocate/risks-associated-with-chemicals-and-other-agents-used-in-attempts-to-control-white-spot-syndrome-virus
