An automated microfluidic chip system for detection of piscine nodavirus and characterization of its potential carrier in grouper farms

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e42203. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042203. Epub 2012 Aug 9.

Abstract

Groupers of the Epinephelus spp. are an important aquaculture species of high economic value in the Asia Pacific region. They are susceptible to piscine nodavirus infection, which results in viral nervous necrosis disease. In this study, a rapid and sensitive automated microfluidic chip system was implemented for the detection of piscine nodavirus; this technology has the advantage of requiring small amounts of sample and has been developed and applied for managing grouper fish farms. Epidemiological investigations revealed an extremely high detection rate of piscine nodavirus (89% of fish samples) from 5 different locations in southern Taiwan. In addition, positive samples from the feces of fish-feeding birds indicated that the birds could be carrying the virus between fish farms. In the present study, we successfully introduced this advanced technology that combines engineering and biological approaches to aquaculture. In the future, we believe that this approach will improve fish farm management and aid in reducing the economic loss experienced by fish farmers due to widespread disease outbreaks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquaculture*
  • Automation
  • Bass / virology*
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • DNA, Complementary / isolation & purification
  • Electrophoresis, Capillary
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Nodaviridae / genetics
  • Nodaviridae / isolation & purification*
  • Nodaviridae / physiology*
  • RNA Virus Infections
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from Fish Breeding Association Taiwan and Council of Agriculture, Taiwan (94AS-14.2.1-FA-F1, 96AS-14.2.1-BQ-B2[28], and 97AS-14.2.1-BQ-B1[8]). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.