Double-stranded RNA confers both preventive and therapeutic effects against Penaeus stylirostris densovirus (PstDNV) in Litopenaeus vannamei

Penaeus stylirostris densovirus (PstDNV) infection is found widespread in peneaid shrimp, especially in economically important species such as black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon and Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Although effective prevention method for viral diseases is not well established in shrimp, the treatment with viral specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or siRNA has given promising results. In present study, dsRNAs corresponding to non-structural (ORF1 and ORF2 overlapping sequence) and structural (ORF3) genes of PstDNV were investigated for their potency to inhibit PstDNV replication in the shrimp. Periodically injection of either ORF1-2 dsRNA or ORF3 dsRNA at three days interval into L. vannamei resulted in substantial inhibition of PstDNV infection. In addition, a possibility for a therapeutic application of dsRNA in PstDNV-infected shrimp was demonstrated by the efficient suppression of PstDNV replication in L. vannamei when the ORF1-2 dsRNA was delivered into the shrimp within 24 h post-PstDNV injection. Hence, our results established both the preventive and therapeutic potency of dsRNA to inhibit PstDNV in L. vannamei that could be applied as a potential treatment of PstDNV infection in shrimp.