Methods and compositions to protect aquatic invertebrates from disease

A method of producing a composition for protecting shrimp from White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) or Infectious Myonecrosis Virus (IMNV), comprising,

• a) identifying a target nucleic acid molecule of said WSSV or IMNV;
• b) preparing a protective molecule selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) a dsRNA molecule comprising at least one RNA molecule that is capable of hybridizing to said target nucleic acid molecule of said WSSV or IMNV;
• (iii) an antisense RNA molecule comprising a sequence that is the full or partial complement of said target nucleic acid molecule of said WSSV or IMNV;
• and
• c) preparing an orally acceptable composition comprising said protective molecule which composition does not comprise an expression cassette or vector comprising said protective molecule, said composition when administered to said shrimp protects said shrimp from said WSSV or IMNV.

A method of producing a composition for protecting shrimp from disease, comprising,

• a) identifying a target nucleic acid molecule of a microorganism causing said disease;
• b) preparing a protective molecule selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) a dsRNA molecule comprising at least one RNA molecule that is capable of hybridizing to said target nucleic acid molecule of said microorganism;
• (iii) an antisense RNA molecule comprising a sequence that is the full or partial complement of said target nucleic acid molecule of said microorganism;
• and
• c) preparing a composition for delivery to the digestive tract of said shrimp, said composition comprising said protective molecule and which composition does not comprise an expression cassette or vector comprising said protective molecule, said composition when administered to said shrimp protects said shrimp from said disease.