MICROSPORIDIOSIS, SHRIMP - VIET NAM
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: 23 May 2011
Source: Vietnam Business and Economy News [edited] <http://www.vneconomynews.com/2011/05/disease-causes-heavy-losses-for-shrimp.html>
Shrimp farmers in coastal provinces of the Mekong Delta are suffering unprecedented losses due to a disease that has infected tiger shrimp in 40 000 hectares of farm area. Pham Hoang Giang, head of the Bac Lieu Aquaculture Department, said microsporidiosis was the main cause of the losses.
Right now there is no specific remedy for the disease and farmers can only prevent it by testing the breeding shrimp to make sure they are disease-free before raising them, he said.
More than 11 000 hectares of shrimp farms in Bac Lieu have been destroyed, Luong Ngoc Lan, head of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said.
In Tra Vinh, about 330 million shrimp in 6200 hectares of farm area all over the province have died, causing a loss of over VND12 billion (USD 600 000).
In Soc Trang, 20 000 out of 25 000 hectares of shrimp farms have been destroyed, causing VND1.5 trillion (USD 75 million) in losses.
One farmer, residing in Lieu Tu Commune, Tran De District of Soc Trang, said he had invested VND50 million (USD 2500) in 3 hectares of farming area for tiger shrimp, only to have all his shrimp die after 2 weeks.
Another farmer, from My Xuyen District, said his shrimp have died under strange circumstances. "The shrimp all killed themselves by crashing into the pond bank," he said.
Most of the shrimp have died at the age of 20 to 30 days, causing great financial stress to farmers who invested in the improvement of ponds, shrimp breeding and food.
An experienced shrimp farmer in Bac Lieu said each hectare of dead shrimp would cause a loss of VND40 million (USD 2000).
The Soc Trang People's Committee is expected to set aside VND20 billion (USD 1 million) to help the farmers continue their farming.
The provincial committee has also asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for more support for shrimp farmers.
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Communicated by:
David E. Starling, D.V.M.
Aqueterinary ServicesR, P.C.
<aquavet@aqueterinary.com>
[Microsporidiosis is a parasitic disease also known as cotton shrimp disease. It most often tends to affect 40-50 day old shrimp. The shrimp tend to take on a white or cottony type of appearance due to the parasite. The parasite generally affects the striated muscles causing them to become opague, hence the white color, as the parasite grows in clumpy patches.
While this disease does not affect the human consumer it does seem to impart a negative flavor. Shrimp affected with it are generally deemed as unsalable because of the bad flavor. - Mod.TG]
[Diseased shrimp photo at:
<http://www.cenaim.espol.edu.ec/noti/cursos_material/curso19/ligthner/Photo6_1.html]
- Mod.JW]
[The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Viet Nam is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/008c> - CopyEd.EJP]
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