Effects of a co-culture of marine algae and shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) on the growth, survival and immune response of shrimp infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and white spot virus (WSSV).

In aquaculture, fighting infectious diseases is a necessity. This study measured the immuno-stimulating effect of live macroalgae consumption on Litopenaeus vannamei against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and WSSV infection in two independent bioassays. Shrimps and macroalgae were cultivated in a co-culture with two species of macroalgae separately (Gracilaria vermiculophylla and Dictyota dichotoma), and later, shrimp were infected with V. parahaemolyticus. In another bioassay, shrimp and macroalgae (G. vermiculophylla, D. dichotoma and Ulva lactuca) were grown and subsequently infected with WSSV. For both bioassays, survival after 120 h was determined, the total hemocyte count (TCH) was measured and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in tissue were measured. The results indicate that the use of macroalgae in co-culture with L. vannamei provides a nutritional benefit that achieves higher growth than the control organisms, as well as improvements of the ammonium concentration and immune response after infection with V. parahaemolyticus and WSSV. A better immune response was obtained in organisms cultured with macroalgae in both bioassays at a ratio of 1.6-1.9 for organisms infected with bacteria and 1.4 to 1.6 times for organisms infected with the virus. In turn, the enzymatic activity of SOD and CAT were higher in the treated organisms relative to the controls in both experiments.