EHP, a global health challenge for the shrimp industry

The microsporidian endoparasite Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) poses a major global health challenge for the shrimp industry. EHP is confined to the shrimp’s hepatopancreas, making it difficult to detect. This parasite impacts growth and tends to weaken the host’s immune system, leading to the onset of secondary diseases caused by opportunistic pathogens: vibriosis causing diseases such as early mortality syndrome (EMS), pathogens causing general health deterioration such as white feces syndrome, etc. Although EHP does not appear to cause high mortality, it is associated with significant delays in growth and a decline in shrimp fertility rates, resulting in economic losses for farmers and, in the worst cases, early harvest.

Cellular impact of the infectious cycle of the EHP endoparasite

The life cycle of this microsporidian endoparasite can be divided into three phases: the infectious phase, the proliferative phase, and the spore-forming phase. The infectious phase is the only one capable of surviving without the host, as the spores exist outside the host’s hepatopancreatic cells in a dormant and more resistant form. Once inside the cell, the dormant spore becomes infectious through the key phase of the cycle: germination. This phase is marked by a key component for spore replication: the polar tube. Thanks to the polar tube, the germinated spore pierces the plasma membrane of the host’s hepatopancreatic cell, releasing sporoplasts (infectious material) into the cell’s cytoplasm. The sporoplasts begin to replicate into numerous copies that are released into the environment after killing the cells, and eventually infect other shrimp.

Solutions derived from the processing of vegetable oils to reduce the infectivity of EHP

Since EHP has an intracellular phase during which spores penetrate the host’s hepatopancreatic cells, it is important to ensure that the parasite is prevented from entering host cells or, at the very least, that entry into the cells is controlled. This is a fundamental consideration when determining recommendations for the implementation of a biosecurity measure.

Studies have shown that a solution based on an innovative blend of compounds derived from the processing of vegetable oils, combined with a specific active matrix, significantly reduces the ability of EHP spores to germinate and form the polar tube, which is directly linked to their infectivity. This effect has a clear impact on the final EHP load in the digestive organs and helps restore performance in shrimp.

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