An assessment of health management practices and occupational health hazards in tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) aquaculture in Bangladesh

Abstract

Diseases have been recognized as the major obstacle to the shrimp ( Penaeus monodon ) and prawn ( Macrobrachium rosenbergii ) aquaculture production in Bangladesh. This study provides an assessment of shrimp and prawn diseases/syndromes, health management practices, and occupational health hazards associated with the handling of chemical and biological products to prevent and treat shrimp and prawn diseases. A survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire with 380 shrimp and prawn farmers in the southwest of Bangladesh during February and June of 2016. The farms were categorized on the basis of the three cropping patterns: shrimp polyculture, prawn polyculture, and shrimp and prawn polyculture. Eight different diseases and/or symptoms were reported by the surveyed farmers. The white spot disease and the broken antenna and rostrum symptom were the most common in shrimp and prawn species, respectively. In total, 35 chemical and biological products (4 antibiotics, 15 disinfectants, 13 pesticides, 2 feed additives and probiotics) were used to treat and/or prevent diseases in the all farm categories. The major constraints for disease management were limited access to disease diagnostic service, inadequate product application information and lack of knowledge on better management practices. Handling chemicals and preparation of medicated feed with bare hands was identified as a potential occupational health hazard. This study suggests improvements in farmers’ knowledge and skill in disease diagnostics and health management practices, and appropriate handling of potentially hazardous chemicals.

Description of a Natural Infection with Decapod Iridescent Virus 1 in Farmed Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

“…The disease course observed in the farm for this study indicated that M. rosenbergii and M. nipponense have no tolerance to infection with DIV1. Many farms in Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Zhejiang Provinces [16,25], as well as in Southeast Asia [26,27] and Africa [28], have stocked ponds in polyculture mode with M. rosenbergii and P. vannamei or P. monodon . As M. rosenbergii has tolerance to infection with WSSV [21], the polyculture mode provides a profitable approach for farmers under the threat of WSSV.…”

Production without medicalisation: Risk practices and disease in Bangladesh aquaculture

“…Within these physical and economic constraints, the evidence from the survey and analysis suggests that farms benefited from improved seed, additional feed, and better management techniques (Ali et al., 2018). Untested seed sources were associated with increased mortality, while use of SPF and tested seed reduced incidence of shrimp diseases compared with untested sources.…”

“…Pursuing “disease‐free” farming within this socio‐economic arrangement positioned farmers into relations of production which made acts of desperation more rather than less likely. In contrast, and without underestimating the difficulties and room for improvement in food production practices, there is clear potential of polycultures and agro‐ecological forms of farming to reduce medicalisation by modulating risk experience and providing “insurance” in precarious physical and economic environments (Ali et al., 2018; Bush et al., 2010; Hanh & Boonstra, 2018), as well as generating environmental and nutritional gains (Shepon et al., 2020). Rather than being seen as barriers to disease management, these practices may be part of a raft of approaches to producing food in ways that are resilient and require low treatment protocols.…”

First Description of a Natural Infection with Shrimp Hemocyte Iridescent Virus in Farmed Giant Freshwater Prawn, <em>Macrobrachium Rosenbergii</em>

“…The disease course observed in the farm of this study indicated that M. rosenbergii and M. nipponense has no tolerance to the infection with SHIV. Many farms in Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Zhejiang Provinces [25,16], as well as in Southeast Asia [26,27] and Africa [28] have stocked ponds in polyculture mode with M. rosenbergii and P. vannamei or P. monodon. As M. rosenbergii has tolerance to infection with WSSV [21], the polyculture mode provides a profitable approach for farmers under the threat of WSSV.…”