An automated microfluidic chip system for detection of piscine nodavirus and characterization of its potential carrier in grouper farms.
Groupers of the Epinephelus spp. are an important aquaculture species of high economic value in the Asia Pacific region. They are susceptible to piscine nodavirus infection, which results in viral nervous necrosis disease. In this study, a rapid and sensitive automated microfluidic chip system was implemented for the detection of piscine nodavirus; this technology has the advantage of requiring small amounts of sample and has been developed and applied for managing grouper fish farms. Epidemiological investigations revealed an extremely high detection rate of piscine nodavirus (89% of fish samples) from 5 different locations in southern Taiwan. In addition, positive samples from the feces of fish-feeding birds indicated that the birds could be carrying the virus between fish farms. In the present study, we successfully introduced this advanced technology that combines engineering and biological approaches to aquaculture. In the future, we believe that this approach will improve fish farm management and aid in reducing the economic loss experienced by fish farmers due to widespread disease outbreaks.
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Hsiao-Che
HC
Kuo
Ting-Yu
TY
Wang
Hao-Hsuan
HH
Hsu
Szu-Hsien
SH
Lee
Young-Mao
YM
Chen
Tieh-Jung
TJ
Tsai
Ming-Chang
MC
Ou
Hsiao-Tung
HT
Ku
Gwo-Bin
GB
Lee
Tzong-Yueh
TY
Chen
D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D001331:Automation; D001492:Bass / Q000821:virology*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D030381:Nodaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D012327:RNA Virus Infections; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D018076:DNA, Complementary