AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH PROGRAMS – SEAFDEC AQD

Edgar C. Amar 1 and Joselito R. Somga 2

1 Fish Health Section Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center – Aquaculture Department Tgbauan, Iloilo, Philippines

2 Fish Health Management and Quality Assurance Section Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Quezon City, Philippines

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Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center – Aquaculture Department SEAFDEC -AQD

The Tigbauan Main Station (TMS) is the AQD headquarters situated right on the beach on the south coast of Panay Island, where brackishwater pond aquaculture has historically been a big industry. The 40-hectare complex includes various research laboratories, hatcheries, and broodstock tanks for experiments in artificial propagation, feed development, and health management.

SEAFDEC -AQD

Fish Health Section

• Bacteriology 2 Scientists with PhD • Virology 1 Scientist with PhD • Parasitology 1 Scientist with M Sc • Immunology 2 Scientists with PhD

1 Senior Technical Assistant (BSc) – Bacteriology 2 Senior Technical Assistants (BSc) –Bacteriology, Virology 1 Technical Assistant (BSc) – Parasitology and Histopathology 1 Research Technician (BSc) – Bacteriology and Virology

The Fish Health Section is staffed according to positions approved by the

SEAFDEC Program Committee as follows:

In addition, there are 4 Technical Assistants hired on fixed-term basis under projects funded externally by the Government of Japan Trust Fund (GOJ-TF) and the Japan international Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).

All scientists in the section are active researchers with

at least two approved studies per year. One scientist is designated as the Section Head, one serves as Program Leader of the Research Division’s thematic area with fish health component, and another scientist is designated in-charge of the Diagnostic Services. All scientists contribute their expertise and are consulted in resolving disease cases.

The following are some research studies conducted by Fish Health Section researchers. Carriers for practical delivery of vaccines to shrimp and other crustaceans are being evaluated. This study compares the efficacy of protein (WSSV) vaccines delivered via microparticles made from chitosan and alginate.

Ongoing Research at the Fish Health Section

Also, the host response of Lates calcarifer to Amyloodinium ocellatum is being examined. The interaction between a fish host and a protozoan parasite may give some guide as to how outbreaks in hatcheries due to parasitic infestations might be prevented or controlled.

In order to establish a management technology for disease tolerant and sustainable aquaculture environment, research employing epidemiological approaches is continuing.

Research on parasitic and shell diseases of abalone (Haliotis asinina) in the Philippines aims to establish baseline information on parasitic diseases of this species in the country.

In addition, the molecular diagnosis and prevention of economically important viruses in fish and shrimp is developing sensitive but economical molecular methods of pathogen detection, including means to prevent occurrence of some target viruses.

There is also screening for antimicrobial activities of crude extracts from Philippine red seaweeds which attempts to find natural substitutes to antimicrobial drugs from farmed marine organisms.

Finally, immunization regimen for the prevention of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in high value marine broodfish is being developed. Once established, vaccination could be an efficacious way of preventing VNN infection in marine fish.

Bacteriology

Virology

Cell culture

Molecular microbiology (PCR)

Wet laboratory

Infection Building

Microtechnique laboratory

Laboratory for Advanced Aquaculture Technology

(LFAAT)

Facilities

The SEAFDEC AQD Fish Health Laboratory is committed to comply with OIE aquatic animal health standards. The laboratory has participated and passed the ring test for diagnosis of shrimp pathogens conducted by the OIE Reference Laboratory at the University of Arizona. It is also a participant in the ongoing Asia Regional Diagnostic Laboratory Proficiency Testing being facilitated by the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia and the Pacific (NACA).

Quality Control

FHS Diagnostic Services Laboratory has capability for PCR analyses of the following viruses: • Infectious Myonecrosis Virus (IMNV) • Infectious Hypodermal and Haematopoietic Necrosis

Virus (IHHNV) • White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) • Yellowhead Virus (YHV)/ Gill Associated Virus (GAV) • Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) • Megalocytivirus: Red Seabream Irodovirus (RSIV) • Nervous Necrosis Virus (NNV) • Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) • Macrobrachium rosenbergii Nodavirus: White Tail

Disease (WTD) • Spring Viraemia of Carp Virus (SVCV)

Species N Percent (%)

Shrimp 144 51.43

Finfish 45 16.07

Crab and other crustaceans

39 13.93

Water 34 12.14

Mollusk 9 3.21

Other samples 9 3.21

Total 280 100.00

Diagnostic Cases by Species - 2012

Disease Method N + N- N Percent (%)

WSSV

shrimp PCR 67 391 17.1

crab and other crustaceans PCR 9 51 17.6

other samples (Artemia) PCR 2 2

IHHNV PCR 22 140 15.7

IMNV PCR 50 50

TSV PCR 35 35

GAV PCR 4 4

YHV PCR 4 4

WTD PCR 16 16

MBV MGS 23 23

VNN PCR 51 180 28.3

Parasites LM 8 16 50.0

Mollusk 200

Bacterial count 340

Histological samples 854 1,222 S

Diagnostic Cases by Disease - 2012

Developments in Response to the Challenge of Emerging and Unknown Pathogens

Surveillance of Tilapia pathogens in the Philippines – in collaboration with the National Research Council of the

Philippines (NRCP)

Surveillance of Mudcrab pathogens: Conventional and Molecular Methods – in collaboration with the Philippine

Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Development of Diagnostic Tools through Genomics and Establishment of the Philippine Shrimp Pathogen Bio-Bank

and Online Biosurveillance Information Resource – in collaboration with the Philippine Genome Center (PGC)

Philippine Shrimp Pathogenomics Program: Development of Diagnostic Tools through Genomics and Establishment of the

Philippine Shrimp Pathogen Bio-Bank and Online Biosurveillance Informaiton Resource

SHRIMP PATHOGENOMICS PROGRAM

PROGRAM FRAMEWORK

Program Leader: Cynthia P. Saloma, PhD

PGC-DSCF and NIMBB UPD

PROJECT 1

Shrimp Pathogenomics: Whole Genome Sequencing and

Bioinformatics

Cynthia P. Saloma, PhD

PGC-DSCF and NIMBB UPD

1. Whole genome sequences of >500 shrimp pathogens

2. Markers and Gene identifiers for Philipine shrimp pathogen strains

PROJECT 2

Bio-bank and Biosurveillance Database Resource

Edgar C. Amar, PhD

SEAFDEC-AQD

1. Compilation of pathogen epidemiological information

2. Online Philippine shrimp pathogen database

3. Philippine shrimp pathogen bio-bank

PROJECT 3

Diagnostic Kits: LFSB and PCR

Erwin P. Enriquez, PhD

ADMU

1. DNA-based lateral flow strip biosensor for shrimp pathogens

2. Mobile app and cloud management system for field data

3. PCR detection methods for shrimp pathogens

Genome sequences from different outbreaks uploaded to database

Biomarkers from Project 1 designed for LFSB strips and PCR tests

DNA extracted from stored shrimp pathogen samples for sequencing

Field data from LFSB strips and PCR tests uploaded to database in real time

Laboratory works and activities

Microtechnique works

Microscopy

Molecular and virology works

Surveillance of fish-borne zoonosis in a farm in Central Luzon, Philippines

Survey of Tilapia Cage Farms in Taal Lake, Philippines

Surveillance of fish-borne zoonosis in Ayerwaddy Division, Myanmar

Collecting samples from a farm in Cambodia

On-site Training on Freshwater Fish Health Management in Myanmar

Participants of the On-site Freshwater Fish Health Management Training Course in Cambodia

Asian Fisheries Society Fish Health Section Executive Committee (2010-2014)

10th Asia Regional Aquatic Animal Health Advisory Group Meeting

11th Asia Regional Aquatic Animal Health Advisory Group Meeting

OIE Country Mission – Evaluation of Performance of the Aquatic Animal Health Services of the Philippines (Feb. 03-18, 2013)

Visit/consultation with the SEAFDEC-AQD

OIE Country Mission – Closing Meeting BFAR Central Office

FINAL REPORT