Development of a real-time PCR assay for detection of monodon baculovirus (MBV) in penaeid shrimp

A real-time PCR method was developed to detect monodon baculovirus (MBV) in penaeid shrimp. A pair of MBV primers to amplify a 135 bp DNA fragment and a TaqMan probe were developed. The primers and TaqMan probe were specific for MBV and did not cross react with Hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV), White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), Infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic virus (IHHNV) and specific pathogen free (SPF) shrimp DNA. A plasmid (pMBV) containing the target MBV sequence was constructed and used for determination of the sensitivity of the real-time PCR. This real-time PCR assay had a detection limit of one plasmid MBV DNA copy. Most significantly, this real-time PCR method can detect MBV positive samples from different geographic locations in the University of Arizona collection, including Thailand and Indonesia collected over a 13-year period.