The susceptibility of the endemic copepod Calanus pacificus californicus to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was established by the temporal analysis of WSSV VP28 transcripts by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The copepods were collected from a shrimp pond located in Bahia de Kino Sonora, Mexico, and challenged per os with WSSV by a virus-phytoplankton adhesion route. Samples were collected at 0, 24, 48 and 84 h postinoculation (hpi). The VP28 transcripts were not detected at early stages (0 and 24 hpi); however, some transcript accumulation was observed at 48 hpi and gradually increased until 84 hpi. Thus, these results clearly show that the copepod C. pacificus californicus is susceptible to WSSV infection and that it may be a potential vector for the dispersal of WSSV. However, further studies are still needed to correlate the epidemiological outbreaks of WSSV with the presence of copepods in shrimp ponds.
At present, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is the most cultivated shellfish in northwest Mexico. Nonetheless, other mollusks species such as the black clam Chione fluctifraga, which can be found along with cultured C. gigas in Sonora, represents a profitable emerging fishery resource. Since 1997, the oyster industry along the Gulf of California has been affected by severe mortality episodes disturbing almost all the farming areas. In order to evaluate the prevalence of Perkinsus marinus, a monthly sampling of 30 oysters and 30 clams was carried out during a one-year period. A total of 360 oysters and 360 clams were analyzed by Ray's fluid thyoglicolate medium (RFTM) and PCR. The RFTM assay showed prevalence ranging from 3.3 to 60% for both oysters and clams through the study period, with infection levels from light to moderate, according to the Mackin scale. The PCR analysis was positive to P. marinus in the only one C. gigas with moderate infection in the RFTM analysis. The resulting sequence revealed 100% identity with the ITS region of P. marinus. To our knowledge, this is the first indication of Perkinsus sp. in the C. fluctifraga clam.
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