Co-infection of two genotypes of decapod hepanhamaparvovirus 1 (DHPV) in Penaeus vannamei from South Korea

Decapod hepanhamaparvovirus 1 (DHPV), formerly known as hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV), primarily causes stunted growth in juvenile shrimp and, in some cases, mortality in shrimp larvae. DHPV belongs to the genus Hepanhamaparvovirus within the family Parvoviridae and is classified into 5 genotypes (genotypes I-V). Previous studies have reported DHPV infections in various shrimp species; however, no reports have documented co-infection with different DHPV genotypes in shrimp. In this study, we report the first evidence of co-infection by 2 DHPV genotypes-genotype IV (DHPV-GS) and genotype V (DHPV-GJ)-in Penaeus vannamei cultured in South Korea. To discriminate between the 2 genotypes, we established and validated genotype-specific PCR assays, and the assays demonstrated high specificity, with no cross-amplification observed between the 2 genotypes. Using these assays, we screened 38 shrimp from Goseong and 12 shrimp from Geoje, and found co-infection with both DHPV-GS and DHPV-GJ in 36.8% and 100% of the samples, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of genotype-specific diagnosis for accurate surveillance and improved understanding of DHPV epidemiology in aquaculture systems.