A formulated double-stranded RNA diet for reducing Penaeus monodon densovirus infection in black tiger shrimp

•Significant reduction of PmDNV was achieved by orally delivered dsRNA-ns1 and dsRNA-vp.•The PmDNV could be inhibited in both curative and protective modes.•This formulated diet showed high potency inhibition of PmDNV within only 14 days.

Penaeus monodon densovirus (PmDNV) is one of the major causes of stunted shrimp in the aquaculture industry in Thailand. Significant reductions in levels of PmDNV as assessed by PCR analysis of shrimp hepatopancreas were seen in both prophylactic and curative experiments after feeding shrimp with a formulated diet containing mixed inactivated bacteria harboring dsRNAs corresponding to the PmDNV ns1 and vp genes. Significant reductions of approximately 88% (prophylactic) and 64% (curative) of PmDNV were observed, suggesting that this diet has a high potential for application in commercial aquaculture for reducing PmDNV associated stunted growth of shrimp.