Shrimp aquaculture has been developing considerably and expanding rapidly with long term potential. It is the most promising food production sector that provides excellent sources of protein for human consumption. However increase in demand, results in large scale expansion and intensive farming practices to fulfill the ever-growing needs that lead to ecological and physiological stress. That hampers the production capacity of the farms and causes huge economical losses to the farmers. For instance, the growth of infected Litopenaeus vannamei, is reported to be arrested at around 12 g, capping production at approximately 9 tonnes/ha as opposed to the nominal target of 12 tonnes/ha.
Hepatopancreatic Microsporidiosis (HMP) is caused by the Enterocytozoon hepatopanaei (EHP). EHP is a spore-forming, a unicellular parasite that, when enters the ponds is highly difficult to eradicate. Certain spores of EHP in fecal pellets or dried cadavers have shown to be viable up to six months and retain infectivity for over a year under aqueous conditions.
As per the etiology of HMP, once the spores enter the gut of the shrimp they start infecting the hepatic cells via extending a highly specialized polar tube. As the infection progresses there is an increase in the number of spores since they replicate within the host cells. The new spores thus formed then infect other healthy cells. It, ultimately results into deterioration in the health of the shrimp that leads to retarded growth and development.
Rehpairo is an amino acid optimizer for healthy hepatopancreas, which helps the cell for better uptake of nutrients supplied in the feed and promotes healthy recovery, faster growth and development. Rehpairo also contains, phytoactive compounds that keep in check the infection caused by EHP within the gut lumen of the shrimp. The phytoactive compounds exhibit their inhibitory action on EHP by interrupting the polar tube extension to the host cell and hence preventing the infection. Use of Rehpairo in aqua feeds has shown to reduce the severity of infection of EHP from 50% to 10% thereby demonstrating very good recovery. Use of Rehpairo was found to be effective in reversing the growth retardation and was apparent from the increase in weekly average body weight gain.
Comprehensively,
Rehpairo exhibits a dual mode of action on the deadly disease, firstly by neutralizing
the infection and further preventing the disease HPM caused by EHP.