Philippine drug firm develops new medicine against shrimp virus

Filipino-owned drug company, La Croesus Pharma Inc. formulated a new medicine to treat and prevent a dreadful viral disease in shrimp farming.

An experiment conducted at Marcela Farms Inc. at Calape, Bohol Philippines concluded that supplementation of feeds with Vitamin C plus Zinc ''Zincee'' can treat and prevent viral disease in shrimp and prawn.

The white spot virus syndrome (WSVS) is one of the common viral diseases in the world that hit Asia including the Philippines leading farmers into bankruptcy.

The 20-day old stock in 12 ponds which was infected with the virus was able to survive to harvestable size after treatment with Zincee.

The harvest yielded to an average of 4 tonnes per half hectare pond with a high survival rate of 95%.

The July 2009 trials showed that an average body weight per prawn was 30 grammes. The feed conversion ratio of 1:1.4 attained in a 130 days culture.