Abstract

Infectivity of baculoviral mid-gut gland necrosis virus (BMNV) to larvae of 5 crustacean species was examined by water-borne inoculation. Penaeus monodon, P. chinensis and P. semisulcatus were infected with BMNV, but Metapenaeus ensis and Portunus trituberculatus showed no evidence of the infection. P. monodon were demonstrated to be highly susceptible to the virus, developing many hypertrophied nuclei of the mid-gut gland epithelial cells. P. chinensis and P. semisulcatus had lower susceptibility to the virus, showing no growth retardation and no significant mortality, and the infection was considered to be transient.