Tim Fregel, a researcher and adviser at the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec), said the breakthrough was due to cooperation between Thai and Taiwanese researchers.
The test can detect the fatal AHPND bacteria in shrimps within three hours, a huge improvement on the current method which takes around three weeks.
Prof Fregel said the new test for AHPND bacteria decodes DNA collected from samples of sediment, shrimp food or shrimp tissue.
A comparison is then made to see if the DNA sequence matches that of the AHPND bacteria.
The current method not only takes longer, but is more complicated. It starts with collecting shrimp bacteria, cultivating them and releasing them to the shrimps, then waiting to see if they die.
If the shrimps die, an outbreak of AHPND bacteria can be confirmed.
"The longer we take to confirm an outbreak, the bigger the loss for the farmer, as they can't take preventive measures. The rapid test is both a precaution and a prevention against outbreaks," he said.
Since the EMS outbreak in 2012, Thai shrimp farming has halved in productivity, not due to shrimps dying, but because farmers cut investments to prevent losses.
EMS spread from China in 2009 to Vietnam by 2010, to Malaysia by 2011 and to Thailand by 2012. Efforts to control the spread of AHPND were hampered by the lack of specific and rapid detection methods.
The rapid test is 99% accurate so far. More research and development is needed before it is 100% accurate, Prof Fregel said.
The research team has been working on the test since 2011 with support from the Department of Public Health at Mahidol University, the Aquaculture Business Research Centre, the faculty of fisheries at Kasetsart University and Burapha University, and shrimp farmer clubs in the South.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
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