BANGKOK, Jan 9 – Thai and Taiwanese scientists have jointly announced a successful development of a detection method for early mortality syndrome (EMS) in shrimp.
Mahidol University’s Dean of Faculty of Science Prof Dr Sakorn Mongkolsuk, accompanied by Dr Kanyavim Kirtikara from the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) told the briefing on Thursday that a new detection method called PCR has been developed by a group of Thai and Taiwanese scientists led by Prof. Timothy Flegel.
The four-step PCR technique presents test results within three hours. It starts with taking the DNA from the shrimp’s stomach, then extracting and testing it with a newly developed primer set that came with PCR reactions.
The unpatented discovery will help Thai and international shrimp farmers curb the disease outbreaks as specific types of bacterial agents causing shrimp sickness is identified before the shrimps are released into ponds.
EMS outbreaks started in China in 2009 and then spread successively to Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.
