Compound eye as a target organ of white spot baculovirus (WSBV) in Penaeus indicus H. Milne Edwards

Abstract

Recently mass mortalities of penaeid prawns have been reported worldwide in the culture ponds due to the occurrence of White Spot Disease (WSD). Eventhough, several tissues of ectodermal and mesodermal origin have been confirmed to be the target organs for white spot baculovirus, not much importance has been given so far to the compound eyes of penaeid prawns affected with WSD. Histopathological and ultrastructural studies were conducted in the compound eye of Penaeus indicus H. Milne Edwards, affected with WSD. Eosinophilic to basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in the narrow region of the retinular cell nuclei in the dioptic portion of the ommatidia. Electron microscopic examination of the compound eye revealed the presence of rodshaped, enveloped, non-occluded virions and viral particles in the affected nuclei of retinular cells.