Shrimps are decapod crustaceans of high economic value. Most wild-caught shrimps and all farm-raised shrimps belong to the Penaeidae family. In Ghana’s infantile shrimp farming industry, the only cultured shrimp species is P. monodon. The gravid females are obtained from the wild, spawn in the hatchery and the post-larvae used for their grow-out operations. Globally, P. monodon is documented as highly susceptible to viral pathogens such as White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), Monodon baculovirus (MBV), Infectious Hypodermal and Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV), Infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV) among others and the need to screen the wild-caught brooders for these pathogens cannot be overemphasized.
The study sampled the giant tiger shrimps from three coastal regions along the 570 km Coast of Ghana and screened for the presence of four globally important penaeid shrimp viruses; White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV), Monodon Baculo Virus (MBV), Infectious Hypodermal and Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) and Infectious Myonecrosis Virus (IMNV) using molecular methods.
Fifty (50) samples were collected from each of the following regions in Ghana: Greater Accra (GR), Volta Region (VR) and Central Region (CR). DNA and RNA extractions were performed on the gills, muscles, midgut and hepatopancreas using Qiagen extraction kits. Conventional PCR and real-time qPCR were used to screen for the presence of these viruses.
The initial PCR screening of some few collected hetopancreas and muscles samples indicate non detection of the viruses. However, DNA and RNA extractions and PCR analysis of the rest of the samples continues in order to confirm presence and otherwise of the four WOAH-listed viruses in Ghanaian shrimps.