A Septicemic Bacterial Disease Syndrome of Penaeid Shrimp

Abstract

A disease syndrome of penaeid shrimp characterized by the presence of a septicemic phase is described. Mortality due to the disease in infected shrimp populations typically ranged from 10 to 50 percent, but occasionally reached 100 percent. Vibrio alginolyticus, V. anguillarum, and an Aeromonas sp. were isolated from moribund hatchery-reared white shrimp (Penaeus setiferus) and brown shrimp (P. aztecus) and from wild white, brown, and pink shrimp (P. duorarum). Each of these organisms was found to be pathogenic to shrimp when administered by intramuscular injection.