Three Taiwanese entities have been approved as reference laboratories for aquatic diseases by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), putting them in a position to help other nations understand diseases and pandemics among aquatic species, the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said last month.
Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1), a pathogen that affects crustaceans and has caused enormous economic losses, has been reported in China, but while it published material that mentioned the virus, it did not notify the OIE, the bureau said.
However, Taiwan in 2020 notified the OIE — the first nation to do so — after DIV1 was found in the nation’s territorial waters, it said.
Taipei Times file photo
The virus had different mutation pathways and mortality rates among different species of shrimps, with white shrimp the most susceptible, having a mortality rate of 80 percent, National Institute for Animal Health Director Lin Yu-ju (林育如) said on Thursday last week.
The Australian red claw crayfish is mostly unaffected by DIV1, but can spread the disease, said Lin, whose institute was one of the three entities to be certified.
DIV1 has only been observed to spread among crustaceans and there is no reports of humans being affected, although crustaceans should be thoroughly cooked before being eaten, she said.
With certification as a reference lab, the institute would have more services to offer other nations, being able to provide means with which to detect DIV1, Lin said.
The lab could also provide virus specimens, allowing analysis at overseas facilities, she said.
The other two Taiwanese facilities certified as reference labs are studying white spot disease and early mortality syndrome in shrimp.
The OIE announcement shows that Taiwan’s aquatic studies are on a par with other international institutions, the bureau said.
It would continue to help Taiwanese academics apply for certification from the OIE and hopes to have more studies recognized by the international community, it said.
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