White spot and other microbial syndrome virus has emerged as the major shrimp pathogen causing
epizootics and heavy crop failures across the world. Abundance and composition of benthic fauna were recorded in two stations. The main benthic groups were collected during the study period were dominated by polychaetes followed by bivalves, gastropods, decapods and amphipods. The present work provides the first evidence of polychaete worms as passive vectors of white spot syndrome virus in the transmission of white spot disease to shrimp hatcheries and farming. Polychaetes and other groups collected from the areas near shrimp farms showed a higher level of contamination. Horizontal transmission of WSSV from the affected shrimp farms to the neighboring ecosystem has created a realistic scenario in which the receiving ecosystem 1carries the WSSV load in the form of live, dead and decomposed tissues and free virions.