First report of white spot syndrome virus in wild crustaceans and mollusks in the Paraíba River, Brazil

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in the Paraíba River, Brazil. Eight sampling sites were established on the bank of the river near water intake areas for the farming of Litopenaeus vannamei. Ten specimens of the shrimp Palaemon pandaliformis and the gastropods Pomacea lineata and Melanoides tuberculatus were collected at each site. Eighty‐one gill fragments from P. pandaliformis, 40 whole individuals of M. tuberculatus and 26 muscle fragments from P. lineata were collected. All samples were stored in microcentrifuge tubes with 95% ethanol (1:10; v:v). Tests were performed at the Potiporã Molecular Analysis Laboratory (state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) for the detection of WSSV using Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification with the aid of the LAMP WSSV kit (Concepto Azul, Ecuador). Twenty‐nine per cent of P. pandaliformis, 48% of M. tuberculatus and 8% of P. lineata tested positive. The findings demonstrate that WSSV is present in wild crustaceans and mollusks, which may serve as vectors and/or reservoirs of the virus, thereby posing a potential risk to local shrimp farming. This is the first report of WSSV in wild specimens of M. tuberculatus and P. lineata.