Yellow head virus (YHV) is a major agent of disease in farmed penaeid shrimp. YHV virions purified from infected shrimp contain three major structural proteins of molecular mass 116 kDa (gp116), 64 kDa (gp64) and 20 kDa (p20). Two different staining methods indicated that the gp116 and gp64 proteins are glycosylated. Here we report the complete nucleotide sequence of ORF3, which encodes a polypeptide of 1666 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 185 713 Da (pI=6?68). Hydropathy analysis of the deduced ORF3 protein sequence identified six potential transmembrane helices and three ectodomains containing multiple sites for potential N-linked and O-linked glycosylation. N-terminal sequence analysis of mature gp116 and gp64 proteins indicated that each was derived from ORF3 by proteolytic cleavage of the polyprotein between residues Ala 228 and Thr 229 , and Ala 1127 and Leu 1128 , located at the C-terminal side of transmembrane helices 3 and 5, respectively. Comparison with the deduced ORF3 protein sequence of Australian gill-associated virus (GAV) indicated 83 % amino acid identity in gp64 and 71 % identity in gp116, which featured two significant sequence deletions near the N terminus. Database searches revealed no significant homology with other proteins. Recombinant gp64 expressed in E. coli with and without the C-terminal transmembrane region was shown to react with antibody raised against native gp64 purified from virions.

Some strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimp. We sequenced 3 AHPND and 3 non-AHPND strains and found that all of them lacked the pathogenicity island relevant to human infection. A unique sequence encoding a type IV pilus/type IV secretion system was found in 3 AHPND strains.

We identified two major serotypes of S. agalactiae isolates associated with the outbreak in tilapia culture in Thailand. We developed multiplex PCR assays for 14 virulence genes, which may be used to predict the pathogenicity of the isolates and track future infections. Multiplex PCR typing of the GBS virulence genes was developed and might be further used to predict the pathogenicity of S. agalactiae.

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The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) and Saltwater crocodile (C. porosus) are two of the most endangered animals in Thailand. Their numbers have been reduced severely by hunting and habitat fragmentation. A reintroduction plan involving captive-bred populations that are used commercially is important and necessary as a conservation strategy to aid in the recovery of wild populations. Here, the genetic diversity and population structure of 69 individual crocodiles, mostly members of captive populations, were analyzed using both mitochondrial D-loop DNA and microsatellite markers. The overall haplotype diversity was 0.924–0.971 and the mean expected heterozygosity across 22 microsatellite loci was 0.578–0.701 for the two species. This agreed with the star-like shaped topology of the haplotype network, which suggests a high level of genetic diversity. The mean ratio of the number of alleles to the allelic range (M ratio) for the populations of both species was considerably lower than the threshold of 0.68, which was interpreted as indicative of a historical genetic bottleneck. Microsatellite markers provided evidence of introgression for three individual crocodiles, which suggest that hybridization might have occurred between C. siamensis and C. porosus. D-loop sequence analysis detected bi-directional hybridization between male and female individuals of the parent species. Therefore, identification of genetically non-hybrid and hybrid individuals is important for long-term conservation management. Relatedness values were low within the captive populations, which supported their genetic integrity and the viability of a breeding and reintroduction management plan. This work constitutes the first step in establishing an appropriate source population from a scientifically managed perspective for an in situ/ex situ conservation program and reintroduction of crocodile individuals to the wild in Thailand.