Aquaculture is the world’s fastest growing food production
sector, with cultured shrimp and prawn growing at an annual
rate of 16Æ8% between 1984 and 1995 (Subasingheetal.
1998). However, disease outbreaks have caused serious
economic losses in several countries. According to a recent
World Bank report, global losses due to shrimp diseases are
around US$ 3 billion (Lundin 1996).