Ex-post facto analysis of diseases of the Gulf of Mexico′s white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus

This study presents an Ex-Post Facto analysis of diseases of wild juvenile and adults of Litopenaeus setiferus collected from a field survey at the Natural Protected Area of Terminos lagoon, southern Mexico. The objective of the present approach was to determine if sampling site and/or shrimp age were contributing risk factors for disease between juvenile and adult shrimp; if there was a determined period of time in a year cycle when diseases were more critical, and if the analysis would help to decision- making considering what population would pose less risk of disease-carrying when withdrawn for experimental purposes; all under an after-the-fact (ex-post facto) approach. We identified that juvenile shrimp were at more risk of contracting some diseases in the estuarine environment and June, July and August months, were found to be a critical period when colonizing and parasitic diseases maintained a significant high prevalence in the shrimp population. These assumptions may help for decision-making when wild shrimp have to be withdrawn from their natural environment for research purposes.