REOVIRUS            

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Context

• Mud Crab Reovirus (MCRV) has been found to be the reason for the mass mortality of wild crab (Scylla serrate) in Andhra Pradesh State.

Details

• The MCRV, known as Sleeping Disease, has taken a toll on wild crab in Crab Fattening and Crab polyculture (in which shrimp and wild crab are cultured in the same pond and exclusive mud crab ponds).
• The viral pathogen mainly affects the connective tissue of hepatopancreas, gills, and intestine.

About ReoVirus

• Family: ReoVirus belongs to Reoviridae - a family of double-stranded RNA viruses.
• Host Range: Member viruses have a wide host range, including vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, protists and fungi.
• Structure: They lack lipid envelopes and package their segmented genome within multi-layered capsids.
• Human Infection: Reovirus infections occur often in humans, but most cases are mild or subclinical.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/reovirus-wreaks-havoc-on-wild-crab-cultivation-in-andhra-pradesh/article38105931.ece