Crawfish virus widespread

“This means it’s much more widespread than anyone thought,” said Ray McClain, crawfish researcher at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station, who was among speakers at the Evangeline Parish Rice Field Day July 10.

The virus has been detected in more than 88 samples. But McClain said fewer than 10 ponds reported dying crawfish. It also has been found in three of nine samples from Atchafalaya Basin crawfish.

In addition, McClain said, crawfish tissue samples at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine from two years ago tested positive, he said.

“It looks as if it’s been around a while,” McClain said. “It does not appear to be as devastating in crawfish farms as it was in shrimp farms.” A crawfish pond where the virus was found earlier this year appears to have recovered somewhat, he said.

The virus was first found in the United States among Texas shrimp farms in 1995, and the affected shrimp died rapidly.

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