Evaluation of the leading physical indicators of hepatopancreatic necrosis disease of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (HPND) of Eriocheir sinensis is a multi-symptomatic disease, characterized by white color and atrophy of hepatopancreas. This study aims to evaluate the main symptoms of HPND, hoping for provide a reference for researchers and clinicians to further unite the diagnosis. In this study we collected 11 individual indicators of E. sinensis in health or suspected HPND in criteria Xinghua and Yancheng Cities, Jiangsu Province. Systematic cluster analysis, principal component regression, and multiple correspondence analysis were conducted in this study. Our study dertermined calculated five leading indicators of HPND, including vitality, shell hardness, muscle fullness, hepatopancreas color, and hepatopancreas index. Further, the symptoms were evaluated as poor vitality, lower shell hardness, atrophy and effusion of pereiopoda, the pale yellow of hepatopancreas color, and the low hepatopancreas index (2%-9%). Besides, the analysis showed that the reduction of body weight, and the darkness of hepatopancreas color and gill color might not be related to the typical symptoms of HPND. The results showed five indicators, i.e. vitality, shell hardness, muscle fullness, hepatopancreas color and index, might be the leading indicators in the disease assessment of HPND.