First detection of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in wild mud crab Scylla spp. (de Haan, 1883) from Setiu Wetlands, Malaysia

Abstract

In this study, tissue samples from 90 wild mud crabs (Scylla spp. including S. olivacea, S. Tranquebarica, and S. paramamosain) were collected during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon in the Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu, Malaysia. The tissue samples were screened for the presence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) by PCR. This study was conducted to detect the presence or absence of WSSV in wild Scylla spp. from the Setiu Wetlands at different times of sampling. WSSV DNA was detected in 36% of the mud crabs. The DNA sequence of a 941 bp genome region amplified from a crab by PCR was identified to be most similar (99% nucleotide sequence, 98% amino acid sequence) to a WSSV strain detected in Mexico (KU216744.1) and Taiwan WSSV 419 strain (AY850066.1). The data indicated that mud crabs in the Setiu Wetlands might act as a WSSV reservoir of risk to shrimp aquaculture. Our findings are the first detection of WSSV from wild mud crabs, Scylla spp. in the Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu, Malaysia.

Keywords

• mud crab
• Scylla spp.
• white spot syndrome virus
• PCR
• Setiu Wetlands