Early detection the microsporidian parasite infecting shrimps

“The detection of the microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) infecting shrimp by the Realtime PCR technique” was highly evaluated and won the second prize in the Provincial Technique and Science Creativity Contest 2018 – 2019.

Doctor Vũ Khắc Hùng and Master Nguyễn Xuân Trường of the Institute of Veterinary Research and Development of Central Vietnam carried out the research named “the detection of the microsporidian Enterocytozoonhepatopenaei (EHP) infecting shrimp by the Realtime PCR technique”. The research was to develop Realtime PCR’s stabilization, sensitivity and competitiveness against other techniques. After 6 months, the researchers formulated a new diagnostic process for the first time in Vietnam. They improved the components of the reaction process and thermodynamic cycle, helping save materials, chemicals and increase the stabilization of the diagnostic process. The improved process can be applied on various models of the diagnostic equipment and help early detect the microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) infecting shrimp when it is just Nauplius stage.

Moreover, the new process with quick experiment can produce the result in a short time and do the tests on many samples at the same time and make reliable prediction prior to possible disease outbreak. This can eliminate the infection and reduce the mortality rate of shrimp and affection to the environment. Besides, the process can be applied to check the larval, juvenile, fishe and ephamera that are under suspicion of exposing to EHP in any laboratory equipped with Realtime PCR.The results are very useful to diagnostic process and disease prevention, helping farmers predict the right time of stocking, harvesting, and transporting to prevent from some economic damages.

According to Hùng, the diagnostic process by Realtime PCR has been recognized for technical development by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Some agencies start to follow the process such as National Centre for Veterinary Diagnosis, Department of Animal Health, Regional Animal Health Office no.2, no.3, no.5 and no.6 and Khánh Hòa’s Sub-department of Animal Health, Research Institute for Aquaculture and Nha Trang University. Trần Vĩ Hích, Director of Broodstock Research and Disease Center of Nha Trang University, said within 2017-2018 over a long time of experiments and finding out that the diagnostic process of EHP by Realtime PCR was useful to shrimp production, they replaced with the conventional histology method. The application of new process has helped with EHP infected animals and improve the quality of farmed shrimp.