http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/28b6bd62-5433-4fad-b5a1-8ac61eb671b1/ FAO Second International Technical Seminar/Workshop on Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) There is a way forward! FAO Technical Cooperation Programme: TCP/INT/3501 and TCP/INT/3502.

1. Updates on AHPND in
Southeast Asia: outcomes
on a recent regional
technical consultation on
AHPND
Rolando Pakingking Jr.*
Evelyn Grace de Jesus-Ayson
rpakingking@seafdec.org.ph

2. INTRODUCTION
• SEAFDEC Program Committee meetings in 2012 and 2013
• Member country representatives conveyed concern regarding EMS/AHPND
outbreaks and other trans-boundary diseases in the region and acknowledged the
need for concerted regional effort to address this
• SEAFDEC AQD & Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (DA-BFAR) partnered in convening the
Regional Technical Consultation on EMS/AHPND and other
Transboundary Diseases for Improved Aquatic Animal Health
• RTC was funded by the Government of Japan through the ASEAN Secretariat
(Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund)

3. VENUE & PARTICIPANTS
• The RTC was convened at Best Western Plus Hotel,
Makati City, Philippines on 22-24 February 2016
• Over 60 delegates attended
 Technical experts from ASEAN Member States
(Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, &
Viet Nam) and Japan
 Experts from the academe, regional and
international organizations (FAO of the United
Nations, OIE, and NACA)
 Private sector

4. OBJECTIVES
Main objective
• Bring together the partners in the region and
representatives of various stakeholders to discuss the
EMS/AHPND and other transboundary diseases
affecting the SE Asian region and how these should be
managed to improve aquatic animal health and ensure
sustainability of aquaculture operations.

5. Specific objectives
1. Assess the current status of EMS/AHPND and other emerging
diseases in farmed shrimps in Southeast Asia;
2. Review the status of trans-boundary disease issues in the region in
any aquatic organism/product;
3. Identify gaps, policy recommendations and priority areas for R&D
collaboration to address these gaps; and
4. Enhance cooperation among Member States, regional/international
organizations and other relevant stakeholders on initiatives that
support aquatic animal health.

6. Technical Sessions
• Comprised presentations of country papers, plenary
lectures, plenary workshop and discussions/open forum
 Country Papers: Current status of EMS/APHND and other
emerging diseases in farmed shrimps in SE Asia
 R&D status on the current and emerging transboundary disease
issues in the region in any aquatic organism/product
 Plenary workshop to identify gaps, policy recommendations and
priority areas for R&D collaboration to address these gaps

7. I. Country Papers: Current status of EMS/APHND and other emerging diseases
in farmed shrimps in SE Asia
• Delegates from ASEAN member states (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam) and Japan gave
presentations focusing on the overall situation/ status of AHPND and other
emerging diseases in farmed shrimps in their respective countries
 Prevalence of disease
 Diagnostic methods employed
 Approaches used (both successful and failed approaches in managing the
disease)
 Scientific research done and research gaps

8. Country Status Diagnosis
(Bacte, histopath & PCR)
Surveillance Report
Cambodia 2011 (Koh Kong
Province)
X Based on Thai farmers
No capacity X X
Indonesia Absent ✔ ✔
Japan Absent ✔
Lao PDR No shrimp culture
Malaysia 2010 (Kedah) ✔ ✔ ✔2011
Myanmar Absent
Philippines Since 2014 ✔ ✔ ✔ 2015
Singapore Absent ✔ ✔
Thailand Since 2012 ✔ ✔ ✔2014
Viet Nam Since 2010 ✔ ✔ ✔2013
Status of AHPND

9. Prevention and Management of AHPND
Country Management
Indonesia GAP, ban in probiotics, ban in importation from AHPND positive countries
Malaysia Research programme by phases (2011-2013)
Phase I: Confirmation
Phase II: Risk factors/epidemiology
Phase III: Control measures
Phase IV: Early detection (gut score card)
Philippines Exclusion and containments through policy and farm level biosecurity actions;
Part of National Shrimp Health Plan
Thailand Biosecurity at farm and hatcheries; Stop EMS Programme ; Aquatic animal health
services
Vietnam Green water technology; Farmer capacity building; Surveillance; Probiotics (not
clear results)

10. AHPND Risk factors
• Advance information from Thailand
• Live polychaetes
• Movement of live aquatic animals
• Lack of GAP
• Weak biosecurity
• Climate change….dead plankton (substrate for bacteria)
AHPND: probiotics, oral diets, antibiotics
• Ban from some countries on importation of probiotics from AHPND+
countries (Philippines)
• Countries preparing their own probiotics (Thailand, Indonesia)
• Antibiotics not effective (Vietnam)
• Oral diets: eco-friendly products and herbs (Malaysia)

11. Positive impacts
• Improved capacity on diagnostics, surveillance
• Increased awareness
• Improved aquatic animal health services
• Improved polices and regulations
• Government/academe/producer partnership
• Government action plans – targeted to AHPND – lessons and experience
can be used when dealing with future emergencies
• Thailand showing signs of recovery
• WSSV, IHHNV, MBV
• White faeces disease
• EHP
• Vibriosis
Other important diseases
• Need to understand mixed
infection with AHPND
 WSSV and AHPND (Vietnam:
more AHPND than WSSV with
climate change)

12. Research
Thailand
 Study the effect of co-infection of EMS/AHPND or EPH with viral or other
bacterial diseases
 The impact and adaptation of shrimp farming technology on climate
variation
 Carrying capacity model of sustainable shrimp farming
 Multitrophic aquaculture for land based coastal aquaculture
Indonesia
 Survey of polychaetes in the pond environment
 Start with species that live in mud (vs those live in sand)
 Temperature difference between countries and AHPND occurrence

13. II. R&D status on the current and emerging transboundary disease issues in the
region in any aquatic organism/product
Plenary lectures
 Latest research on APHND and other emerging shrimp diseases
Dr. Ikuo Hirono – Professor, Tokyo University of Marine Science & Technology
 OIE initiatives on AHPND and other aquatic animal diseases in Asia
Dr. Hirofumi Kugita – OIE Regional representative for Asia & Pacific, Japan
 Regional response on AHPND, emerging shrimp diseases, and other aquatic animal
health issues
Dr. Eduardo Leaño – Coordinator, aquatic animal health program, NACA, Thailand
 AHPND, emerging shrimp diseases and other aquatic animal health issues: Global
perspective
Dr. Melba Reantaso– Aquaculture Officer, FAO UN, Rome, Italy

14. III. Plenary workshop to identify gaps, policy recommendations and priority
areas for R&D collaboration to address these gaps
Issues considered for future actions/studies on AHPND and HPM-EHP based on
the inputs from AMS representatives, invited experts, and private sectors
AHPND
 Use of live feeds for broodstock (specifically polychaetes), as these were
proven to be carriers of the pathogen;
 Copy SPF (P. vannamei) hatchery - effect of inbreeding/genetic erosion on
susceptibility to AHPND; breeding programs are long-term, usually highly
expensive and need sufficient resources and therefore should be carefully
planned and efficiently implemented and sustained;
 Misconception about SPF shrimps and its use; ban on SPF broodstock and live
shrimp products from AHPND-affected countries;

15.  Vertical transmission of AHPND bacteria (broodstock to postlarvae);
 Toxin plasmid transfer to other Vibrio spp. and possibly other bacterial
pathogens that are common in the aquatic/rearing environment; V. harveyi
and V. owensii were already reported to carry the AHPND toxin plasmid;
 Environmental risk factors for spread and outbreak of AHPND;
 Mixed infection with other shrimp pathogens (Covert Mortality Disease
(CMD), EHP, WSSV);
 Efficacy of green water technology in preventing AHPND; currently being
practiced in Viet Nam and the Philippines with some degree of success;
 Issue on extensive/non-registered farms: risk that they may pose to the
spread and occurrence of the disease;
 Probiotics: locally produced vs. imported; issue on banning probiotics for use
in preventing AHPND;

16.  Biosecurity capacities of countries to prevent the entry of the pathogen;
 Emergency preparedness and contingency planning;
 Sharing of information and experiences among countries affected and not
affected by the disease;
 Lack of disease surveillance in processing plants and the wild population
 Antimicrobial resistance;
 Certification of Aquatic Animal Health (AAH) Professionals (other than
veterinarians); and,
 Cooperation of government and producers in the prevention and
management of AHPND. Strengthen government and private sector
partnership.

17. Hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM)
 Identification of the reservoir of the pathogen to include live
feeds other crustaceans that are common in the aquatic
environment;
 Detailed study on the effect of the pathogen on growth and
survival of infected shrimps;
 Preventive and control measures;
 Co-infection with other important pathogens of shrimps (viral
and bacterial), and its association to other shrimps diseases
(e.g. White Feces Syndrome, AHPND)

18. Regional Policy Recommendations
Issues/Gaps Regional Policy Recommendations
Legislative and policy
frameworks
• Develop a national Strategy and Policy Framework
• Member countries should work to harmonize legislation and regulation
related to aquatic animal health management including the legislation
for transboundary movement of live aquatic animals
Strategy for
prevention, control,
and biosecurity
• Compliance with good aquaculture practices to maintain optimal
environmental conditions during the culture period.
• Establish effective prevention system for EMS/AHPND and other
diseases based on recent R&D results
 Marker-assisted selective breeding
 Development of vaccine against AHPND
 IgY as feed additive (based on experiments, high concentration of IgY in egg
yolk can reduce the mortality of AHPND-infected shrimp)
 Nano-bubble technology: ozone nano-bubble can prevent AHPND
 Pond bottom management: use of central drain system
 Phage therapy

19. Issues/Gaps Regional Policy Recommendations
 Develop and implement the Guidelines on Health Management and
Good Practices to Prevent EMS/AHPND and other trans-boundary
diseases
 Strictly implement the reporting system to relevant authorities
and/or Competent Authority at country, regional and international
levels (Early warning system, Monitoring system, Information for the
regular report, annual report)
 Emergency preparedness and contingency plan (should be the
responsibility of Competent Authority)
 Funds should be made available as joint endeavor by private and
public sectors
Rapid and reliable
detection of AHPND
 Diagnostic methods: should follow the OIE guidelines
 Develop tool kits
 Ensure availability and capacity of laboratory services, either public
or private

20. Issues/Gaps Regional Policy Recommendations
Research and
development
program at
regional and
national level
 Use of live feeds for broodstock (specifically polychaetes)
- proven to be carriers of the pathogen
 Effect of inbreeding/genetic erosion on susceptibility to
AHPND
 Vertical transmission, risk factors, mixed infections
 Toxin plasmid transfer to other Vibrio species and possibly
other bacterial pathogens
 Use of greenwater technology, probiotics, novel disease
prevention and control strategies

21. Issues/Gaps Regional Policy Recommendations
Cooperation
among relevant
stakeholders
Strengthen cooperation arrangements of the following:
 ASEAN Member States (AMS) and international/regional
organizations such as OIE, FAO, NACA and SEAFDEC
 ASEAN Network of Aquatic Animal Health Centres (ANAAHC);
in addition to cooperation arrangements, ANAAHC should
also:
 assess the status and find ways on how the network could
be assisted in implementing its activities
 identify what centers should be involved in ANAAHC per
country
 mobilize all aquatic animal health centers
 Public-private cooperation at national levels
 Cooperation among shrimp industries in the ASEAN Region

22. Issues/Gaps Regional Policy Recommendations
Capacity building
program
 This should also include technology transfer from AMS to
another AMS
Awareness
building
 Enhance awareness of farmers and relevant stakeholders
on R&D developments in transboundary diseases
(especially on management and control)
Proceedings of the meeting will be published in December 2016

23.  Create a network and/or regional forum for exchanging/ sharing
experiences and knowledge on research and development on EMS/
AHPND and other transboundary diseases
 Develop regional policy framework related to aquatic animal health
management including transboundary movement of live aquatic
animals based on national policy frameworks
 Accelerate awareness and capacity building programs on biosecurity
and disease detection, monitoring and surveillance, prevention and
control
NEXT STEP: IMMEDIATE ACTIONS

24. Regional Policy Recommendations
 Presented to the SEAFDEC Council during its 48th meeting in
Nha Trang, Viet Nam last 4-8 April 2016
 The Council considered the progress of regional cooperation on
EMS/AHPND and other transboundary diseases and endorsed
the Regional Policy Recommendations

25. Thank you