Abstract White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is an extremely destructive virus in shrimp farming which has caused a serious economic loss to global shrimp industry. Learning its infection routes is the basis for WSSV prevention and control. The digestive tract and gill were generally considered to be the target tissues for WSSV entry into shrimp. However, whether there is any other target tissue for WSSV entry into the shrimp is still not clear. In the present study, we firstly found that the transcripts of WSSV could be detected in the antennal gland of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei cultured in the sea water without any signs of disease. Considering that the antennal gland is an important organ which functions in regulating the osmotic pressure and balance of ions in shrimp, we want to know whether it is also an entry for WSSV infection to shrimp. The spatial expressions of WSSV in shrimp tissues including antennal gland were firstly analyzed in shrimp naturally infected with WSSV, and the data showed that WSSV could be detected in antennal gland of shrimp at the early stages of WSSV infection, and intact virus particles were observed under transmission electronic microscope. Reverse perfusion of WSSV into antennal gland could cause the infection and lead to the death of shrimp. Incubation of WSSV with antennal gland tissues in vitro also led to the replication of WSSV in cultured antennal gland. These data indicated that antennal gland was an entry of WSSV into shrimp to cause the infection. The effect of salinity on WSSV infection was analyzed, and the data showed that salinity stress could induce faster WSSV replication in antennal gland, and accelerate the process of disease. Our study confirmed a new infection route of WSSV, and salinity stress could lead to the disease outbreak caused by WSSV. These data will provide useful information for the development of strategy for WSSV prevention and control.

中文翻译：

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虾的触角腺是 WSSV 感染的入口

摘要 白斑综合征病毒（WSSV）是一种对虾养殖业极具破坏性的病毒，给全球对虾产业造成了严重的经济损失。了解其感染途径是预防和控制WSSV的基础。消化道和鳃通常被认为是 WSSV 进入虾的目标组织。然而，是否有任何其他目标组织可以让 WSSV 进入虾体内，目前尚不清楚。在本研究中，我们首先发现在海水中养殖的南美白对虾的触角腺中可以检测到 WSSV 的转录本，没有任何疾病迹象。考虑到触角腺是调节虾体渗透压和离子平衡的重要器官，我们想知道它是否也是WSSV感染对虾的入口。首次在自然感染WSSV的虾中分析了WSSV在包括触角腺在内的虾组织中的空间表达情况，数据表明WSSV感染早期在虾的触角腺中可检测到WSSV，并观察到完整的病毒颗粒。透射电子显微镜。WSSV反向灌注触角腺可引起感染并导致虾死亡。体外培养 WSSV 与触角腺组织也导致 WSSV 在培养的触角腺中复制。这些数据表明触角腺是WSSV进入虾引起感染的一种途径。分析了盐度对WSSV感染的影响，数据显示盐分胁迫可在触角腺中诱导更快的WSSV复制，并加速疾病的进程。我们的研究证实了一种新的WSSV感染途径，盐胁迫可能导致WSSV引起的疾病暴发。这些数据将为制定 WSSV 预防和控制策略提供有用的信息。