Results show that shrimp feces can be a route of infection
This study evaluated the effect of different salinities on infection by the intracellular microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) in Pacific white shrimp under experimental conditions. Results showed that shrimp feces can be a route of EHP infection occurring at salinities as low as 2 ppt, but the prevalence and severity of EHP infection were higher at 30 ppt salinity
Hepatopancreatic Microsporidiosis (HPM), caused by the intracellular microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), has been reported in several penaeid shrimp species, including black tiger shrimp and Pacific white shrimp. EHP has been reported in various regions, including Asian countries such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and India. Recently, EHP has also been reported in Venezuela, located in the western hemisphere.
EHP causes lesions in the hepatopancreatic tubule epithelial cells (HP), and its main clinical signs are growth retardation leading to increased size variation. White fecal strings floating on the pond water surface and the presence of shrimp with white coloration in the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) in these ponds are also associated with EHP. In advanced stages of the disease, EHP-infected shrimp often exhibit soft shells, lethargy, reduced feed intake, empty midguts, and chronic mortality.
In countries where EHP has been reported, such as India, China, Vietnam, and Venezuela, shrimp farming is conducted under various environmental conditions, including coastal marine, estuarine, and
