Risk factors associated with white spot syndrome virus outbreaks in marine shrimp farms in Rayong Province, Thailand.

The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors for white spot disease (WSD) in Rayong, Thailand. A study was conducted from October 2014 to March 2015 to identify potential farm-level risk factors using a validated questionnaire. We completed 1 questionnaire for each farm; a total of 38 questionnaires from the case farms and 127 questionnaires from the control farms were collected. The results showed that the presence of WSD in previous crops and the use of seawater were risk factors (p < 0.01), indicating that the environment plays an important role in WSD outbreaks in Rayong. Good management practices for pond preparation and other mitigation steps should be part of a control measure program for WSD in this region.