Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) has recently been found to be caused by a pathogenic strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This updated disease card provides a summary and guidance on disease signs at the pond level, at the animal level by histopathology, molecular diagnostic tools, host range, presence in Asia-Pacific, prevention and control and links to further information.

We describe a new method for detecting isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus that cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND). This method is based on the gene sequence of a protein discovered in a sub-fraction of cell-free culture broth from isolates of V. parhaemolyticus that cause AHPND, but not from V. parahaemolyticus or other bacteria that do not cause AHPND. This cell-free preparation caused the typical signs of acute AHPND when administered to shrimp by reverse gavage. 

The disease crisis facing shrimp aquaculture may be propelled, in part, by an interaction between management practices that cause inbreeding, and the amplification by inbreeding of susceptibility to disease and environmental stresses. The study describes and numerically simulates gene flow from Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei hatcheries that employ a ‘Breeder Lock’ to discourage use of their PL as breeders, through ‘copy hatcheries’ that breed the locked PL, to inbred shrimp in farm ponds. 

A Google Group on AHPND detection has been established to promote communication about the two AHPND detection methods (AP1 and AP2) that Dr Chu-Fang Lo and Dr Tim Flegel announced on 24 December 2013. The purpose of the group is to allow people using the methods to send in their comments and experiences about use of these two methods and other methods that might be developed.

This report, the 64th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of fourteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses the 9th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture.

In this issue:

Integrated rice/crayfish farming in Hubei Province, China. Improvement of seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii culture production by reducing grazing by rabbit fish (Siganus spp.). Exploring the fisheries of Wular Lake, Kashmir, India. Golden mahseer Tor putitora - a possible candidate species for hill aquaculture. Free primers for specific detection of bacterial isolates that cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease. Special session on regional cooperation for improved biosecurity. AHPND detection discussion group established.

In this issue:

25th NACA Governing Council held in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Dr Cherdsak Viripat elected as next Director General of NACA. 9th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture 24-28 November 2014, Vietnam. NACA to convene the 11th AFS Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum. Free primers for specific detection of bacterial isolates that cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease. World Aquaculture Adelaide 2014: Special session on regional cooperation for improved biosecurity. AHPND detection discussion group established. OIE Regional Workshop on Emerging Aquatic Animal Disease Response, in collaboration with NACA, Bali, Indonesia. United Kingdom - Southeast Asia Workshop on Sustainable Aquaculture.

The Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health meets annually to discuss regional health issues including emerging disease threats. This report includes a review of regional disease status circa 2013, global and regional disease reporting arrangements, global issues and standards, progress in implementation of the the Regional Technical Guidelines on Health management for the Responsible Movement of Live Aquatic Animals, identification and designation of regional aquatic animal health resources and regional and international cooperation.

The workshop was held in Bali, Indonesia from 6 to 8 November 2013. The programme included reports on current aquatic animal disease situations in selected countries and presentations on the national aquatic animal health programmes of China, Japan and Korea. In addition, case studies on the molluscan diseases, shrimp diseases and finfish diseases were presented to facilitate the subsequent discussion on emergency response of those diseases in the national and regional level.

Shrimp aquaculture in tropical regions is facing a disease-induced catastrophe of lost production. There is reason to believe that current (poor) broodstock management practices may induce genetic erosion that increases susceptibility to disease and vulnerability to epizootics. The basic tenet for this consultation is that an important aggravating factor in the disease crisis is an agro-economic system that locks shrimp breeders, hatcheries and farmers into behaviour that induces high levels of inbreeding.