2013/718 To learn practical skills in conducting viral disease challenge techniques in Penaeid prawn species using white-spot syndrome virus (WSSV) as a model virus to be conducted at Shrimp Biotechnology Business Unit (BIOTEC), Pathumthani, Thailand

By Daniel Pountney

Due to the nature of commercial prawn farming, constraints within the industry such as disease management will always pose problems from managing endemic diseases; such as gill-associated virus in Australia, to exotic diseases including Yellow Head Virus and White Spot Syndrome Virus. The need to conduct this research outside of Australia is important due to the model virus being of ‘exotic’ nature and importing the virus is not possible. The aim of this research travel grant was to allow the researcher to learn practical skills in conducting viral disease challenge techniques in Penaeid prawn species using white-spot syndrome virus (WSSV) as a model virus to be conducted at Shrimp Biotechnology Business Unit (BIOTEC), Pathumthani, Thailand.

During his time at the unit, Dan worked with NSTDA employees to conduct routine duties such as feeding the prawns four times daily, undertaking water quality analysis and tank cleaning. He also visited a commercial shrimp farm (Litopenaeus vannamei) located in the Phetchaburi province of Thailand which allowed him to get first-hand experience of the current problems that Thailand farmers experience and learn how they overcome the problems of viral outbreaks to ensure they stay competitive in the shrimp farming industry.