title: The endemic copepod Calanus pacificus californicus as a potential vector of white spot syndrome virus.
abstract: The susceptibility of the endemic copepod Calanus pacificus californicus to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) was established by the temporal analysis of WSSV VP28 transcripts by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The copepods were collected from a shrimp pond located in Bahia de Kino Sonora, Mexico, and challenged per os with WSSV by a virus-phytoplankton adhesion route. Samples were collected at 0, 24, 48 and 84 h postinoculation (hpi). The VP28 transcripts were not detected at early stages (0 and 24 hpi); however, some transcript accumulation was observed at 48 hpi and gradually increased until 84 hpi. Thus, these results clearly show that the copepod C. pacificus californicus is susceptible to WSSV infection and that it may be a potential vector for the dispersal of WSSV. However, further studies are still needed to correlate the epidemiological outbreaks of WSSV with the presence of copepods in shrimp ponds.
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S. C., Laboratorio de Referencia, Análisis y Diagnóstico en Sanidad Acuícola , Calle Hermosa 101, Col. Los Ángeles, Hermosillo , Sonora C. P. 83260 , Mexico.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Cano
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Paz
authors.forename: Berenice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Terán-Díaz
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galván-Alvarez
authors.forename: Trinidad
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Encinas-García
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Enríquez-Espinoza
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernández-López
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D033342:Copepoda / Q000821:virology*; D004199:Disease Vectors; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology*; D046848:White spot syndrome virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*