India’s first tilapia parvovirus reported in Tamil Nadu

Source: The post is based on the article “India’s first tilapia parvovirus reported in Tamil Nadu” published in “The Hindu” on 19th October 2023

What is the News?

The Tilapia parvovirus (TiPV) case has been reported for the first time in India in Tamil Nadu.

What is Tilapia parvovirus (TiPV)?

Tilapia parvovirus (TiPV) is a small, nonenveloped, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) virus.

The virus affects Tilapia, a freshwater fish species.

The virus was first reported in China in 2019 and Thailand in 2021.India is the third country to report the occurrence of TiPV.

It has a mortality rate ranging from 30 to 50% in the farm and 100% mortality in the laboratory.

What is Tilapia?

Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish.It inhabits the shallow streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes, and less commonly found living in brackish water.

They are mainly considered as a poor man’s fish.

Mozambique tilapia was introduced to Indian fresh water bodies in the 1950s and it is called Jilabi in Tamil.It is capable of surviving in low-oxygen levels in water.The fish has turned invasive across the country. 

Nile tilapia was introduced in the 1970s.It is a little bigger and is cultured on a large-scale.

Among the tilapia species, the Indian government had authorized import of only Oreochromis niloticus in 1970 and red hybrids because of their fast growth and market demand.

In India, tilapia farming is being carried out in different parts of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.It is also sold in domestic markets as whole fish.