Health and Biosecurity

In this issue:

The 15th meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health; a regional consultation on responsible production and use of feed in aquaculture; a report on the Giant Prawn 2017 conference; a preview of the new NACA website; and new initiatives on a very serious emerging issue - reducing the human and animal health risks from development of anti-microbial resistance in the aquaculture industry.

Tilapia lake virus (TiLV) is an emerging virus that causes syncytial hepatitis of tilapia with mortalities of up to 90%. Recent disease outbreaks in Thai tilapia farms have been associated with high cumulative mortalities and histopathological features typical of SHT. Infection has now been confirmed. The semi-nested RT-PCR protocol described here may be used freely for non-commercial applications to detect TiLV. The authors urge laboratories in Asia to test for TiLV when abnormal tilapia mortality occurs.

The development of resistant strains of disease-causing microorganisms is an important health issue of global concern. When microbes such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses become resistant to antimicrobial substances, the diseases they may cause become more difficult or impossible to treat. Resistance is developed by the indiscriminate use of antimicrobials and places human health at risk. The discovery of antibiotics revolutionised medicine, creating a belief that a 'magic bullet' had finally been found to control bacterial diseases. Antibiotics, a class of antimicrobial agents, kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria, but they have no significant effect on other types of microorganisms such as viruses.

The fourth major international event on giant freshwater prawns was organised by the Asian Institute of Technology from 20-24 March 2007. The conference, organised by Salin Krishna and Michael New, built on a series of highly successful events that trace back to the very beginnings of the industry. The first conference, Giant Prawn 1980 brought together all those involved in freshwater prawn research and farming for the first time and set many priorities for future research and development.

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 2016, 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.

We invite you to join us for the 10th Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture (DAA10), the popular triennial event of the Fish Health Section of the Asian Fisheries Society (FHS-AFS), to be held from 28 August to 1 September 2017 at the Anvaya Beach Resort, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia.

With the chosen theme of “Enhancing Aquatic Animal Health Research and Services through Public-Private Sector Partnerships” we anticipate to cover topics from classic parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases to emerging trends and cutting-edge research in aquatic animal health.

Three satellite workshops: FAO’s Inter-regional Workshop, NACA’s Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health, and a Bioinformatics Workshop are being organised back-to-back with DAA10.

The 15th meeting was held from 21-23 November 2016, in Bangkok, Thailand. A special session was held on addressing the use of anti-microbial substances in aquaculture and the development of anti-microbial resistance. This is an issue of global concern for both human and animal health, and it had been addressed by a resolution at FAO’s Thirty-ninth Conference in June 2015. The meeting reviewed in detail the status of aquatic animal disease in the region.

Directory of research and development centres and other partners that participate in the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific.

The objective of this project was to develop an agreed code of practice for the transboundary movement of aquatic organisms that feeds into the fisheries management strategy for the lower Mekong basin. The code of practice provides guidance on risk management and mitigation measures be taken into account for live aquatic animal imports or other transfers that are part of the established commercial practice, or those related to scientific study at research facilities.

Hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM) caused by Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is a newly emerging disease of cultivated shrimp in Asia. Current evidence indicates that it can be associated with severe growth retardation that may not be clearly evident until the second month of culture and may cause low continuous mortality in the case of very severe infections. We present a new method for detecting EHP that has superior specificity to the first generation SSU-PCR developed in 2009.

The 72nd edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from 12 governments. The foreword provides information about the 15th Meeting of the Asia Regional Advisory Group on Aquatic Animal Health.

In this issue:

FishAdapt: A conference on climate change adaptation for fisheries and aquaculture. 11th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum convened in Bangkok. A new and improved PCR detection method for Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) based on a gene encoding a spore wall protein. Radio interview on NACA's mission and role in regional food security. Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, Q1 2016. Guidebook on farmer-to-farmer extension approach for small-scale freshwater aquaculture. New NACA website in the works.

The Second International Technical Seminar/Workshop on AHPND: There is a way Forward! will be held from 23-25 June 2016 in Thailand. The purpose of the meeting is to update knowledge and exchange experiences in dealing with AHPND, to validate current concepts and models under different systems and environmental conditions and to put into action the responsibilities of the different sectors (i.e. government, producer and academe) as a way forward to deal with AHPND.

The 71st edition of the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report contains information from 15 governments. The foreword provides information about the 10th Symposium on Diseases in Asian 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 2015, 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.

This Code of Practice is prepared to promote or ensure compliance to World Trade Organisation-Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures for the movement of live aquatic organisms in the Lower Mekong Basin. The goals of the Code are to achieve environmental protection and management, biodiversity conservation as well as prevention of spread of disease epizootics. Most of the points listed in this Code are based on the inputs of MRC Member Countries.

This report, the 71st in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of sixteen states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses changes to the Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report, including a move to electronic-only distribution.

In this issue:

NACA conducts workshops on white spot disease and shrimp health management in I.R. Iran. Don’t forget to register for the 11th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum! NACA pays tribute to Professor H.P.C. Shetty – Patron of the Pillay Aquaculture Foundation. EHP: Shrimp industry survey. 3rd International Conference on Fisheries and Aquaculture, 24-25 August, Negombo, Sri Lanka. Special Session on the Status of Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Second International Technical Workshop on Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND). Guidebook on Farmer-to-Farmer Extension Approach for Small-Scale Freshwater Aquaculture. Sustainable intensification of aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region.

This disease card describes the diagnosis and range of a microsporidian shrimp pathogen, Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), first discovered in Penaeus monodon in Thailand in 2004. It infects only the tubule epithelial cells of the hepatopancreatic tissue of shrimp. EHP was later found to also infect P. vannamei cultivated in Thailand and is suspected to have been reported from P. japonicus in Australia in 2001. EHP has been reported from Vietnam and is associated with white faeces syndrome.

This report, the 70th in the series, contains information about the aquatic animal health status of nine states in the Asia-Pacific region. The foreword discusses tilapia lake virus, a new viral disease of farmed tilapia.