EHP CHALLENGE IN SHRIMP

CULTURE

Arfindee Abru

Regional Technical Support, ASIA

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 H E PATO PA N C REAT I C M I C R O S P OR I DI O SI S

• Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei is the scientific name of the

causative agent.
• A small microsporidian parasite closely related to fungi that
infects both main aquaculture shrimp species: white and
black tiger shrimp.

POLAR
FILAMENT
1 µm
EXTRUSION

SPORE RESISTANCE
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Picture credits: Andy Shinn, FVGA; Wasson and Peper, 2000.
 TRANSMISSION (H&V)
• The main reservoir of EHP is often the shrimp introduced in
the pond (false negative PCR).
• Spores are released in feces and accumulated in sediments
and water.
• Crabs, muscles and other pests are potential carriers.
• (Non-SPF) live feed is also another vector of disease.
• Vertical transmission as well.

EHP+

FECES, SEDIMENT AND WATER LIVE FEED

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Picture credits: Andy Shinn, FVGA.
 MODE OF INFECTION
Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP)
Stomach Gut

Hepatopancreas

• Entrance of spores in the

SPORES digestive after
consumption of
contaminated feed or
feces.
• Hepatopancreas, main organ for energy absorption and
storage, targeted by EHP spores.
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Picture credits: Andy Shinn, FVGA.
 MODE OF INFECTION
Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP)
Stomach Gut

Hepatopancreas

SPORES

• Chemical signals inside of

the hepatopancreas tubule
trigger fire of polar filament,
anchorage and transfer of
sporoplasm.
Picture credits: Andy Shinn, FVGA.
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 MODE OF INFECTION
Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP)
Stomach Gut

Hepatopancreas

SPORES

• Cell energy metabolism

used for spore replication,
and additional energy lost
due to immune response,
causing poor growth.
Picture credits: Andy Shinn, FVGA.
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PRESENCE IN ASIA-PACIFIC
MALAYSIA (1989)
THAILAND (2004, 2009)
VIETNAM (2010)
INDIA (2015)
INDONESIA (2016)
PHILIPPINES
CHINA
AUSTRALIA
…

Previous unnamed occurrence. 13

PRESENCE IN ASIA-PACIFIC
THAILAND
• Officially found in white
shrimp in 2009, previous
descriptions in black tiger
(2004).
• Field research finds high
prevalence in hatchery PL
(60%, 2017) and grow out
ponds (20-30%, 2018).
• Actual prevalence could be
higher (opinion poll).

USD 180M loss (Andy Shinn, FVGA) 14

 2004 – found infected of Microsporidian in Black tiger shrimp
(P. monodon) reported slow growth.
Thailand
2009 – Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) official confirm of
infection.
2015 - 49% of sample 150 ponds found EHP infected.

2016 - 61% of sample 196 ponds from 4 province found

EHP infected (PCR testing).

2017 - found EHP infected in PL from 60% Hatchery

(info: Thai marine shrimp farmer).

2018 – 20-30% in G/O pond infected with EHP.

Losses due to EHP

5,445,000,000 THB
USD 180 M ?

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WHY SHOULD EHP BECOME CHALLENGE ?
EHP

Bacteria Virus

Co-infection

White feces Sloughing cell Vibrio/AHPND Weak Dead

syndrome
From the questionnaires held at the Rayong Shrimp Trade Show in East in the past 12 months

Rayong: 55 ฟาร์ม
91.7%* พบโรคในรออบ 12 เดือน *Only slow growth condition no effect with other
33.9% EMS (AHPND)
**EHP nearboor farm EHP and/or WFD
76.4% EHP**
5.4% WSSV
60.7% White faeces
25.0% Slow growth

Chachoengsao: 13 ฟาร์ม
84.6%* พบโรคในรออบ 12 เดือน
2 15.4% EMS (AHPND)
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76.9% EHP**
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0.0% WSSV
46.2% White faeces
30.8% Slow growth
125 sites
87.2%* พบโรคในรออบ 12 เดือน Chantaburi: 36 sites
28% EMS (AHPND) 86.1%* พบโรคในรออบ 12 เดือน
72.0% EHP** 30.6% EMS (AHPND)
8.8% WSSV 69.4% EHP**
57.6% White faeces 16.7% WSSV
25.6% Slow growth 58.3% White faeces Summary of opinion polls
36.1% Slow growth
conducted with farmers at
the Rayong Shrimp Fair.

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2014 - 2015
235 Ponds of slow
growth found EHP +ve
infected.

P. vannamei P. monodon

India
Ponds Ponds
Odisha 25 84.0% 22 50.0%
Andhra Pradesh
EHP
101 66.3% 13 46.2%
+ve
Tamil Nadu 70 65.7% 4 50.0%

Biju et al. (2016) Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 120, 225-230.

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 China

China, Jiangsu 93% of indoor culture

show slow growth found EHP infected.

91.3% of normal G/O culture show slow

growth and found EHP infected.

Image: https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/china/

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 Malaysia

Production on culture
110 days (PL10 to 18 g, 55 pcs/kg)
Prd 12 MT/ha.
Selling price $5.30 kg-1
Prd cost $3.58 kg-1
Info from EHP
infected
culture area in
Malaysia. EHP infected area shown slow growth or
stop growth when reach 12 g (83 pcs/kg)
Prd 9 MT/ha.
Selling price $ 3.50 kg-1
Prd cost $ 4.00 kg-1

Loss or not worth it because the

selling price is close to the
production cost.

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 Other EHP positive
countries
Indonesia

Brunei

อัตราการสูญเสีย US$ 7,538 ต่อ แฮคแตร์

Venezuela
Vietnam
Philippines

2017 – EHP found but

molecular evidence
suggests it is not a recent
introduction from SE Asia

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 IMPACT ON PRODUCTION

• Size variation
• Slow growth
• Increasing FCR
• Promoter of
white feces
syndrome.
• Reduced margin
and profit.

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Picture credits: Andy Shinn, FVGA, and Huang (2016).
IMPACT ON PRODUCTION

Good lipid content but start to HP less function, Poor lipid content,
see ATM more ATM  WFD

Size variation,
slow growth Weak, mortality WFD
Soft shell

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Sloughing HP cell

Poor HP lipid droplet

Control: Hatchery and BS

UV sterilization /
Ozonation water

SPF only PCR

SPF fresh feed

Keep fresh feed in -20˚C min 2

hrs to destroy EHP spore

PCR feces

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Control: Hatchery and BS

PCR checking before delivery .

EHP free PL Randomly check to control
and prevent
Soak tank, pond and pvc pipe
system with 2.5% sodium
hydroxide 3 hrs and keep it dry 7
days.
increase pH >9 >>> activate
spore to fire the polar tube If found shrimp
without host (i.e. spores are consume less than
unable to infect host cells) normal, check PCR for
EHP infection and HP
condition.

Use high quality feed that

shrimp can maximum utilize
for growth and health.
biosecurity

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Control: Earth pond prep time

Earth pond apply CaO (calcium

Image: Pornlerd

oxide or quick lime) > 1 MT/1600

sqm (0.625 kgs/Sqm) to increase
pH >11-12. Ploughing to mix
(depth 10-12 cm) then pump in
new water.

New water MUST free from all

Images b-d: Robins MacIntosh

carrier.

Soil PCR checking.

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Control: Nursery
• Stocking of SPF PL + continuous screening of EHP presence
• Strict biosecurity via limited water exchange and probiotic application.
• Feeding of high-quality diet and health boosters

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 Control: Nursery

Shrimp health check Shrimp health check Shrimp health check

Pond No Stocking date Lipid droplet (%) ATM EHP Date Lipid droplet (%) ATM EHP Date Lipid droplet (%) ATM EHP
401 11-May 40-60 % 0 30% 18-May 80% 2% 10% 08-Jun 5-60% 10% 50%
409 11-May 5% 0 20% 18-May 80% 2% 15% 08-Jun 60-90% 7% 50%

Nursery perioad (INVE protocol) G/O perioad

มือ ProTab
วั นที อายุกุ ้ง อาหาร 6:00 8:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 22:00 ถ่ายนํา
dd/mm/yy 0 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 2/5 SPAK อายุ 1-5 วั น 100%
**กรณีลก
ู กุ ้งมาแล ้วอ่อน**
dd/mm/yy 1 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 2/5 อายุ 6-10 วั น 50 %
dd/mm/yy 2 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8
dd/mm/yy 3 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8
dd/mm/yy 4 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 Raceway อายุ 1-5 วั น 0%
dd/mm/yy 5 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 SP 5/8 อายุ 6-10 วั น 50%
dd/mm/yy 6 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 RW 500 RW 500 RW 500 30% *แล ้วแต่หน ้างาน
dd/mm/yy 7 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 RW 500 RW 500 RW 500 30% *แล ้วแต่หน ้างาน ProTab เริมที 1-2% ของอาหารต่อวั น
dd/mm/yy 8 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 RW 700 RW 700 RW 700 30% *แล ้วแต่หน ้างาน *** ดูตามการกินหน้างานได ้เลย
dd/mm/yy 9 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 RW 700 RW 700 RW 700 30% *แล ้วแต่หน ้างาน
dd/mm/yy 10 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 SP 8/12 RW 700 RW 700 RW 700 50% *แล ้วแต่หน ้างาน
Control: Water prep – Stocking.

SPF PLs and

disinfected Disinfect water and equipment
culturing water with high/correct dosage.
(free from carrier
and pathogen)
Bought PLs from
trusted source.

Incase top up water also

need to be treated water.

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 Control: During culture

Check feed to not over feed Water intake, low sediment

or under feed. low risk of EHP

May use Poly aluminium chloride

Incase found EHP during culture to bind with organic subtract water
period change to use higher and drain out.
digestibility feed to improve nutrition
absorption and recovery.

Coated with immune enhancer product to Every time top up new water MUST
activate/improve shrimp natural immune system. be disinfected water (free from
pathogen and carrier).

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 Hepatopancreas
EH P AN D WHITE SHRI MP
1. When shrimp is healthy, EHP is just a microorganism, commonly found in
natural water.
2. When the shrimp is weak, the EHP will be an index, indicating a reduced
level of immunity. When found, it should be corrected. by focusing on
water quality management and pond bottoms, as well as enhancing
immunity.
3. When Vibrio infected or stressed, EHP will become parasites, multiple and
stealing food (Nutrition) makes shrimp even weaker.
4. In WFD shrimp EHP may or may not be found.
5. Sick shrimp have a chance to find EHP because while the shrimp is sick
Shrimp immunity is reduced.
6. White shrimp need not high protein diet. but need good quality protein
especially early period of culture.
7. Shrimp need enzymes from microorganisms. in digestion Therefore, it is
necessary to use probiotic to enhance digestive enzymes
8. Using drugs and chemicals with the aim of destroying the infection.
create more problems and destroy shrimp immunity

Source: Chaiwut sunkongton, Thai DOF. 32

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