Seek Labs Completes Successful External Validations of SeekIt Field Kit for Rapid WSSV Detection

Seek Labs has completed two external validation studies for its SeekIt WSSV Field Kit in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University’s Aquatic Animal Health Lab (AAHL) and ShrimpVet. The studies compared the SeekIt Field Kit’s ability to detect White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) in shrimp against established laboratory protocol. The SeekIt WSSV Field Kit accurately detected WSSV at only 24 hours post-infection, proving a strong alternative to commercial kits that rely on laboratory equipment and specialized training.

WSSV is an extremely contagious pathogen that poses a significant threat to shrimp farming worldwide. The virus can spread rapidly through aquaculture systems and lead to widespread mortality in shrimp populations, which in turn can result in severe economic losses for producers. Early detection of WSSV is crucial for aquaculture operators to prevent the virus from spreading unchecked. Implementing timely diagnostic measures enables farmers to take swift action to contain the virus, minimizing its impact on both production and overall farm health. Currently, no field diagnostic exists to test WSSV earlier than 48 hours. Existing laboratory-based tests (qPCR, etc.) rely on laboratory infrastructure, equipment, and training.

In the independent study at AAHL, researchers tested shrimp infection levels at various timepoints (12 hour, 24 hours, and 36 hours) using the SeekIt WSSV Field Kit and AAHL’s established laboratory protocol that relies on commercially available kits and qPCR. At only 24 hours post-infection, AAHL successfully detected WSSV with the SeekIt Field Kit, demonstrating SeekIt’s underlying technology can detect viral loads early in infection lifecycles and as accurately as lab-standardized qPCR assays.