A review on the diseases of freshwater prawns with special focus on white tail disease of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Freshwater prawns, particularly, the Giant Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, are one of the most economically important farmed species in the world. Faced with increasing disease problems in penaeid shrimp culture, farmers turned to freshwater prawn farming. Freshwater prawns were considered relatively less susceptible to diseases. However, with intensification of culture and increased world trade of the farmed species, emerging diseases are beginning to constitute an increasingly serious health problem in freshwater prawn culture. This article is a review of the important diseases reported in freshwater prawns, with particular emphasis on the white tail disease of M. rosenbergii as it is the most important disease recorded to date and also the most well studied among the diseases of freshwater prawns. Steps to be taken for proper health management in the farming of this species is also touched upon.