鳗鲡疱疹病毒的生物学及理化特性

为了明确鳗鲡疱疹病毒(Anguillid herpesvirus, AngHV)的生物学及理化特性,本实验利用一株从欧洲鳗鲡"脱黏败血综合征"病料中分离的AngHV病毒株,研究了其增殖特性及其对主要鱼类细胞系的感染敏感性,进一步分析了其对热、酸碱、氯仿和乙醚等理化因子的耐受性。结果发现,AngHV感染的鳗鲡卵巢细胞系(eel ovary cell line, EO)内可见典型的疱疹病毒样颗粒,细胞出现时序性细胞病变;AngHV可在EO细胞系内稳定传代,较适宜扩繁温度为25～27°C,不能在鲤上皮瘤细胞系(epithelioma papilloma cyprinid cell line, EPC)、草鱼卵巢细胞系(grass carp ovary cell line, CO)、胖头逓肌肉细胞系(fathead minnow cell line, FHM)、大鳞大麻哈鱼胚胎细胞系(chinook salmon embryo cell line,CHSE-214)、虹鳟性腺细胞系(rainbow trout gonad cell line, RTG-2)及蓝鳃太阳鱼细胞系(bluegill fry cell line, BF-2)等鱼类细胞内增殖;理化特性分析表明,37°C处理30 min,AngHV滴度降低不明显,而56°C处理30 min可完全灭活AngHV;AngHV对酸(pH 3.0)敏感,而对碱(pH 10.0)较耐受,同时对氯仿和乙醚敏感。本研究结果可为AngHV的综合防控及疫苗的开发提供参考依据。     

异育银鲫造血器官坏死症病鱼体内鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型的电镜观察与超微病理学特征

为分析患鲫造血器官坏死症异育银鲫Carassius auratus gibelio体内不同器官组织中鲤疱疹病毒(CyHV-2)粒子的形态结构、分布和发生过程,采集患病异育银鲫体肾、脾脏、头肾、肝胰脏、肠道、鳃各组织样本,利用透射电镜观察疱疹病毒和组织细胞超微病理学。在所采集器官组织中均观察到鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型的DNA内核、空衣壳、实心核衣壳、含包膜成熟病毒共4种不同成熟时期的病毒粒子,不同时期的病毒粒子直径分别为65~90nm、90~180nm、90~180nm、170~220nm;体肾和脾脏中含有大量的Cy HV-2病毒,而头肾、肝胰脏、肠道和鳃中病毒粒子较少;CyHV-2病毒主要感染体肾、头肾、脾脏的吞噬细胞,导致机体免疫机能改变;组织细胞病理学观察发现吞噬细胞核边缘化,核内染色质变性,核膜溶解,线粒体嵴断裂,出现空泡,个别细胞溶解坏死。通过PCR检测和电镜观察病毒粒子结构特征,确诊异育银鲫感染Cy HV-2病毒,主要器官组织细胞中均有CyHV-2病毒,且在细胞核中完成复制和组装,在细胞质中获得外膜。感染Cy HV-2病毒的异育银鲫主要器官组织均受到一定的损伤。     

鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型对异育银鲫背鳍细胞的显微形态与免疫基因表达水平的影响

为研究鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型(Cy HV-2)体外感染复制特征以及异育银鲫抗病毒免疫应答反应。本实验采用组织块培养法建立了异育银鲫背鳍细胞的原代培养体系。结果显示,在10 d左右可观察到组织块迁移分离出新的单层细胞,3周左右细胞可覆盖底部面积为25cm2培养瓶的底部;经Cy HV-2悬液感染离体培养的原代细胞,3 d后病毒滴度增殖至106拷贝/m L;在病毒感染6 d后出现典型的细胞病变效应;Cy HV-2感染原代细胞后,分析前期通过鱼体水平实验鉴定出的与该病毒感染相关的免疫基因:PNP5a、MPO、MHCⅠ、LYZ-C、IL-11、ITLN、PNP5a和DUSP,Real-time Rt-PCR结果显示大部分基因在细胞水平均有显著性的上调,与鱼体水平实验结果一致。本研究建立了原代培养的异育银鲫背鳍细胞,用于构建体外感染Cy HV-2病毒的细胞模型,为深入研究Cy HV-2的感染复制规律及其与宿主的相互作用关系,以及细胞水平筛选抗病毒药物实验奠定了基础。     

大鲵虹彩病毒理化及生物学特性研究

对大鲵虹彩病毒(Giant salamander iridovirus,GSIV)的理化特性及生物学特性进行了研究。结果表明:GSIV对热处理敏感,56℃和65℃处理30 min均可彻底灭活病毒;GSIV经酸(pH3)和碱(pH10)处理,病毒滴度(TCID50)与对照组相比较分别下降了8.58、9.04个对数级,差异极显著(P<0.01);GSIV经有机溶剂氯仿、乙醚以及胰蛋白酶处理,TCID50与对照组相比较分别下降了9.33、7.83、6.49个对数级,差异极显著(P<0.01)。冻融次数对GSIV滴度的影响不显著(P>0.05)。GSIV对细胞培养物的感染性试验结果表明,GSIV可在鲤上皮瘤细胞系(Epithelioma papilloma cyprini,EPC)、斑点叉尾鮰肾脏细胞系(Channel catfish kidney,CCK)、虹鳟鱼性腺细胞系(Rainbow trout gonadal,RTG-2)等细胞中增殖,但在EPC、CCK细胞中增殖速度快,TCID50高;GSIV在EPC细胞中的最适生长温度是25℃。GSIV在EPC细胞中增殖动态试验结果表明,GSIV感染细胞6 h后TCID50开始快速上升,进入对数增长期,72 h时TCID50达到最大值,以后趋于稳定。GSIV感染EPC细胞超薄切片透射电镜观察结果显示,在EPC细胞质中可见大量虹彩病毒样颗粒,呈晶格状排列,直径约140 nm。     

松江鲈肾组织细胞系生物学特性研究

在25℃、5%CO_2实验室条件下,于20%FBS-DMEM/F12培养基中培养松江鲈肾组织细胞系,以研究其生物学特性。第75代松江鲈肾组织细胞传代培养后,0～2 d处于潜伏期,2～4 d进入对数生长期,4～6 d进入稳定期,其群体倍增时间为55.2 h。经液氮冷冻保藏1月后,复苏细胞的存活率为(90.8±1.37)%。35代松江鲈肾组织细胞的染色体数为2n=40,核型公式为K(2n)=16m+10sm+14t。病毒敏感性试验表明,松江鲈肾组织细胞对鱼类诺达病毒不敏感,对鲤春病毒血症病毒敏感,测定病毒滴度为10~(6.53)/mL。镉离子敏感性试验显示,松江鲈肾细胞存活率随着氯化镉浓度的升高而降低,半致死浓度为(130±9.1)μmol/L,可用来作为镉离子检测的生物学指标。     

池塘养殖患病泥鳅两种病毒病原的电镜观察初报

利用电子显微镜技术,对湖北荆州池塘养殖患病泥鳅的组织进行超薄切片电镜观察。电镜观察结果显示:在患病泥鳅的脾脏、肾脏、心脏及肠道组织中观察到大量球形和杆状两种形态的病毒颗粒。球形病毒颗粒无囊膜,直径约50~75 nm;杆状病毒颗粒有囊膜,形态多样,大小约为(50~100)nm×(300~500)nm;细胞培养分离病毒结果显示,球状病毒可在鲫鱼脑组织细胞系(Gi CB)中增殖,可导致细胞出现典型的细胞病变效应(CPE,cytopathic effect),但没有观察到Gi CB细胞中杆状病毒的增殖。     

一种基于Ⅱ型鲤疱疹病毒衣壳蛋白72的免疫学检测方法

Ⅱ型鲤疱疹病毒(cyprinid herpesvirus 2,Cy HV-2)是引起养殖异育银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)造血器官坏死症的致病病原。在临床筛查中基于病毒核酸的PCR和real time PCR技术已经建立,但是稳定性更强的免疫学诊断技术国内外尚无报道。本研究目的是利用Cy HV-2编码的ORF72基因(Gen Bank登录号:AFJ20502.1)所编码的衣壳蛋白作为捕获抗原,通过识别感染病毒的鱼体中的相应抗体,从而对样本进行临床免疫学检测。首先采用PCR方法从纯化的Cy HV-2基因组中扩增ORF72基因,并把该基因克隆至原核表达载体PGEX-4T-3,并转化到大肠杆菌中诱导表达,诱导表达的产物通过SDS-PAGE进行鉴定,对表达的重组蛋白进行纯化。用已纯化的72重组蛋白对小鼠进行免疫,制得72重组蛋白的抗体。Western blot检测表明所制备的多克隆抗体既能识别原核表达的重组蛋白,也可以识别Cy HV-2病毒粒子上的衣壳蛋白72。在上述基础上建立了基于Western blot技术的Cy HV-2抗体检测技术:用纯化的72重组蛋白作为检测抗原,鲫鱼血清用作一抗,兔抗鲫Ig M多克隆抗体作为二抗,酶标羊抗兔作为三抗鉴定鲫鱼是否存在Cy HV-2特异性抗体。在对急性感染期的临床样本检测中,本方法能在所有样本中检测出ORF72特异性抗体存在,表明72重组蛋白作为相应抗体捕获原可以用于确诊鲫鱼是否感染Cy HV-2。本研究建立的实验室免疫学检测方法为商品化免疫学检测技术的开发奠定了基础,对Cy HV-2的检验检疫具有一定的临床应用价值。     

引起混养塘中异育银鲫和鲢发病死亡的病原及组织病理

混养的异育银鲫和鲢鱼种大批死亡,为明确发病死亡的病原和组织损伤并提供相关的疾病防控措施,进行了病鱼肉眼和显微镜检查、细菌学检测、病毒学检测、组织病理和药敏试验研究。结果发现,除在患病鱼体表偶然发现有少量不会引起充血等症状的杯体虫和车轮虫外,未在体内外发现其他寄生虫和真菌类病原;通过细菌分离、人工回感试验、生理生化特性和16S r RNA基因序列分析,从患病异育银鲫和鲢分离到的致病菌株均为嗜水气单胞菌;根据异育银鲫和鲢病毒性疾病的现状,使用鲤疱疹病毒2型(Cyprinid herpesvirus 2,Cy HV-2)DNA聚合酶基因的特异性引物分别对自然发病的异育银鲫和鲢进行PCR检测,只有异育银鲫检测到Cy HV-2,分别用它们的除菌组织上清液进行人工感染试验,只有异育银鲫出现充血症状和死亡现象;由此得出嗜水气单胞菌是异育银鲫和鲢发病死亡的主要病原,Cy HV-2是异育银鲫混合感染的次要病原。患病鲢与患病异育银鲫呈现出类似的组织病理现象,又有一些各自特有的组织病理表现,单纯细菌感染的鲢轻度病变以细胞颗粒变性为主,坏死细胞以核溶解为主,细菌和病毒混合感染的异育银鲫肝脏轻度病变以细胞滴状玻璃样变的变性为主,坏死组织细胞以核固缩和核碎裂为主,在肾脏和脾脏出现染色质边集于核膜的肿大细胞核,主要组织器官出现从变性到坏死的病理变化过程,最终失去应有的功能而死亡。依据药敏试验结果,建议内服诺氟沙星和氟苯尼考等抗生素防治本病的嗜水气单胞菌感染,混合感染Cy HV-2的异育银鲫可以通过注射Cy HV-2疫苗和生态养殖的方法控制和减少该病毒病感染和发展。     

鲤科疱疹病毒Ⅱ型射阳株的分离与鉴定

对患"鳃出血"病的异育银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)病灶组织进行分离,并通过回归感染试验、细胞分离鉴定、电镜观察以及PCR几种方法结合来鉴定。结果显示:健康异育银鲫注射组织滤液5 d后开始发病,且症状与原发病症状一样,死亡率为80%,对照组没有死亡。对患病鱼内脏组织经超薄切片,电子显微镜观察发现组织内有大量的病毒颗粒,成熟的病毒粒子直径大小170~200 nm,与疱疹病毒Ⅱ型病毒粒子相符。滤液经疱疹病毒Ⅱ型特异性的PCR检测,获得阳性目的片段,同时将无菌处理的病样滤液接种胖头鲤细胞(FHM),培养1 d后出现明显的细胞病变(CPE),单层细胞网状收缩,坏死细胞聚集。收集细胞培养液,进行病毒特异性的PCR检测,并检测到436 bp的阳性片段。结果表明:从江苏射阳某"鳃出血"病异育银鲫养殖鱼塘分离到的病毒为疱疹病毒Ⅱ型(Cy HV-2)病毒。     

感染鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型(CyHV-2)的异育银鲫血液生理生化指标及相应组织学变化

于江苏大丰金鹿合作社采集三种状态的异育银鲫Carassius auratus gibelio样本,试验1组(H)来自未发生过鲤疱疹病毒(Cy HV-2)病的2个池塘(面积200×667m2),即为无Cy HV-2病症状的病毒携带者;试验2组(IH)和试验3组(I)为正在发病的2个池塘(面积200×667m2),IH组有轻微的Cy HV-2病症状,而I组为典型的Cy HV-2病症状,测定其血成分、血清生化指标,并观察肠道和肝胰脏的组织病理学,以探讨异育银鲫感染鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型(Cy HV-2)的发病机制。结果表明:IH组和I组鲫除淋巴细胞百分比显著升高外(P0.05),中性粒细胞和单核细胞百分比、红细胞和血栓细胞数、血红蛋白、血栓细胞压积均显著低于H组(P0.05);I组淋巴细胞百分比显著高于IH组(P0.05),而中性粒细胞百分比却显著低于IH组(P0.05),其他各项指标无显著差异。IH组和I组除天门冬氨酸基转移酶/丙氨酸氨基转移酶、白蛋白、白球比例比H组显著升高外(P0.05),胆碱酯酶和碱性磷酸酶活性、总胆汁酸、甘油三酯、高密度脂蛋白/低密度脂蛋白均显著下降(P0.05)。I组与IH组结果比较,天门冬氨酸基转移酶、天门冬氨酸基转移酶/丙氨酸氨基转移酶、白蛋白、白球比例均出现显著升高(P0.05),而胆碱酯酶、碱性磷酸酶出现显著下降(P0.05),总胆汁酸含量下降了38倍,下降明显,其他均无显著变化。扫描电镜观察发现,H组红细胞表面光滑完整,IH和I组均有一定的损伤;相比H组,IH组、I组的肝胰脏和肠道的组织结构损伤,且随着患病严重性的增加而加重。     

Development and characterization of five novel cell lines from snubnose pompano,Trachinotus blochii (Lacepede, 1801), and their application in gene expression and virological studies

Five novel permanent cell lines have been established from gill, heart, kidney, eye and fin of snubnose pompano, Trachinotus blochii. They were designated as snubnose pompano gill (SPG), snubnose pompano heart (SPH), snubnose pompano kidney (SPK), snubnose pompano eye (SPE) and snubnose pompano fin (SPF), respectively. All these cell lines were characterized and cryopreserved successfully at different passage levels. Cell lines were passaged every alternate day; SPG, SPH, SPK, SPE and SPF cell lines attained passage levels of 68, 74, 82, 79 and 106, respectively, since the initiation of their development in 2019. The cell lines grew well in Leibovitz's 15 medium containing 15% foetal bovine serum at 28°C. Immunophenotyping of the cell lines revealed the presence of fibronectin and pancytokeratin. No mycoplasma contamination was found. The transfection study revealed the gene expression efficiency of these cell lines by expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The authentication on origin of cell lines from T. blochii was confirmed by amplification of species-specific mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. The results showed the susceptibility of these cell lines to fish nodavirus (FNV) and tilapia lake virus (TiLV) and resistance to cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2). The FNV infection in the cell lines was confirmed by RT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA and immunocytochemistry, while TiLV infection was confirmed by RT-PCR assay. These results revealed that these cell lines are suitable for virological and foreign gene expression studies.     

鲤疱疹病毒2型微滴式数字PCR检测方法的建立及比较分析

本研究建立了定量检测鲤疱疹病毒2型(Cyprinid herpesvirus 2,CyHV-2)的微滴式数字PCR(Droplet digital PCR,ddPCR)检测方法,并与实时荧光定量PCR(Quantitative real-time PCR,qPCR)检测方法的灵敏性、重复性、特异性和临床样品检测做了比较分析.结果表明,与qPCR相比,ddPCR具有相同的特异性,其灵敏性比qPCR低20倍.在定量CyHV-2 DNA时,ddPCR (R2=0.994)和qPCR (R2=0.994)均表现出良好的线性关系,且2种检测方法间的定量值呈正相关(R2=0.989).在定量检测相同稀释度的CyHV-2 DNA时,qPCR的定量值始终比ddPCR高10倍.ddPCR的组内和组间重复变异系数(CV)分别为0.59％-11.26％和6.55％-23.21％,而qPCR为16.57％-27.56％和22.31％-56.73％,说明ddPCR具有更好的稳定性.在临床样品定量检测时,ddPCR的检出率稍高于qPCR.本研究建立的ddPCR能够准确定量检测CyHV-2,将为CyHV-2相关研究提供有益参考.     

一株湖北源大口黑鲈蛙病毒的分离鉴定

采用电子显微镜观察和细胞培养等技术, 从湖北黄陂某养殖场患病大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoides)体内发现并分离到一株蛙病毒。患病大口黑鲈的临床症状主要表现为体表出血、溃疡, 肝脏发白。将病鱼内脏组织匀浆超微滤液接种鳜脑细胞系(mandarin fish brain, MFB)细胞能产生典型细胞病变效应(cytopathic effect, CPE), 病毒滴度达到 10^8.36±0.15 TCID₅₀/mL。细胞培养病毒的超薄切片电镜观察结果显示, 细胞质中存在大量直径约为 150 nm 左右的正六边形病毒粒子, 呈晶格排列。细胞培养病毒的人工感染大口黑鲈试验结果显示, 7 d 内试验鱼死亡率高达 100%, 其临床症状与自然发病鱼相似。采用大口黑鲈病毒(largemouth bass virus, LMBV)的特异性 PCR 检测方法对患病鲈组织样品和细胞培养病毒样品进行检测, 均能扩增出 241 bp 的单一目的条带。进一步根据 GenBank 中 LMBV 主衣壳蛋白(major capsid protein, MCP)基因序列设计特异性引物, 均能从上述样品中扩增出 1392 bp 的 MCP 基因开放阅读框(open reading frame, ORF)全长。将 MCP 氨基酸全序列进行比对, 结果显示其与 Santee-Cooper 蛙病毒、孔雀鱼病毒 6 型及大口黑鲈溃疡综合征病毒的 MCP 氨基酸序列同源性高达 100%。系统进化结果显示, 与感染鱼类的虹彩病毒科蛙病毒属病毒, 如鳜鱼蛙病毒、Santee-Cooper 蛙病毒、孔雀鱼病毒 6 型和大口黑鲈溃疡综合征病毒等聚成一支。这些结果证明, 该分离株为虹彩病毒科蛙病毒属的成员, 暂命名为大口黑鲈蛙病毒(largemouth bass ranavirus, LMBRaV)湖北株 LMBRaV-HB001。病毒敏感细胞系筛选试验结果表明, 病毒 LMBRaV-HB001 感染鲤上皮瘤细胞(epithelioma papulosum cyprinid, EPC)、草鱼性腺细胞(grass carp ovary, GCO)、大鲵肌肉细胞(giant salamander muscle, GSM)和鲫脑组织细胞(gibel carp brain, GiCB)均能产生典型 CPE, 病毒滴度可达 10^8.0 TCID₅₀/mL 以上。本研究首次在湖北省养殖大口黑鲈体内分离与鉴定了 LMBRaV 病毒, 建立了病毒的细胞培养方法, 为进一步研究该病毒的传播、诊断和防控技术提供了重要参考。     

Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis virus (CyHV-2) infection: case studies from commercial goldfish farms

Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis is a disease of goldfish, Carassius auratus , caused by Cyprinid herpesvirus-2 (CyHV-2) infection. Quantitative PCR was carried out on tissue homogenates from healthy goldfish fingerlings, broodfish, eggs and fry directly sampled from commercial farms, from moribund fish submitted to our laboratory for disease diagnosis, and on naturally-infected CyHV-2 carriers subjected to experimental stress treatments. Healthy fish from 14 of 18 farms were positive with copy numbers ranging from tens to 10⁷ copies μg⁻¹ DNA extracted from infected fish. Of 118 pools of broodfish tested, 42 were positive. The CyHV-2 was detected in one lot of fry produced from disinfected eggs. Testing of moribund goldfish, in which we could not detect any other pathogens, produced 12 of 30 cases with 10⁶–10⁸ copies of CyHV-2 μg⁻¹ DNA extracted. Subjecting healthy CyHV-2 carriers to cold shock (22–10 °C) but not heat, ammonia or high pH, increased viral copy numbers from mean copy number (±SE) of 7.3 ± 11 to 394 ± 55 μg⁻¹ DNA extracted after 24 h. CyHV-2 is widespread on commercial goldfish farms and outbreaks apparently occur when healthy carriers are subjected to a sharp temperature drop followed by holding at the permissive temperature for the disease.     

鲤疱疹病毒Ⅱ型主要免疫原性蛋白的鉴定

为了鉴定CyHV-2的主要免疫原性蛋白,本研究用分离的CyHV-2-YC-1分离株(下简称CyHV-2)感染异育银鲫尾鳍细胞系(GiCF),用蔗糖密度梯度超速离心法对细胞感染液中的CyHV-2进行纯化,纯化后的CyHV-2病毒免疫小鼠制备抗CyHV-2多克隆抗体。纯化的病毒颗粒经变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)和考马斯亮蓝染色后,用抗CyHV-2多克隆抗体进行Western blotting分析和质谱鉴定。结果显示,透射电镜下观察发现50%～66%的蔗糖梯度多见完整囊膜包裹的CyHV-2病毒颗粒,也有少量囊膜破损的病毒颗粒。Western blotting结果显示,抗CyHV-2多克隆抗体与多种病毒蛋白具有特异性免疫反应,质谱鉴定显示,其中8种主要免疫原性蛋白分别是ORF92、ORF115、ORF25、ORF57、ORF66、ORF72、ORF131和ORF132。研究表明,通过蔗糖密度梯度超速离心法提纯CyHV-2病毒颗粒后,本研究制备的抗CyHV-2多克隆抗体能够特异性识别CyHV-2病毒的主要免疫原性蛋白。本研究将为CyHV-2免疫学检测方法的建立以及疫苗的研制提供更多的候选抗原。     

Distribution of the introduced cyprinid herpesvirus 3 in a wild population of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3), which causes a lethal disease in common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., and koi, C. carpio koi , first occurred in Lake Biwa, Japan in 2004. To elucidate distribution of CyHV-3 in a wild common carp population, we conducted a PCR survey of CyHV-3 among such fish in Lake Biwa in 2006. Only 6% (1/18) of the common carp smaller than 300 mm were positive with PCR, whereas 31% (18/58) of fish larger than 300 mm were positive. To evaluate their past exposure to CyHV-3 infection based on the presence of antibodies, we also measured the levels of serum anti-CyHV-3 antibodies in the carp, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. None (0/26) of the fish smaller than 300 mm was positive for the antibodies, whereas 54% (33/61) of fish larger than 300 mm were positive. Of the antibody-positive individuals, 44% (14/32) were also positive by PCR strongly suggesting that wild common carp that survived infection become CyHV-3 carriers. Five individuals were positive by PCR but negative for antibodies indicating that their infection with CyHV-3 had occurred recently. These results suggest that transmission of CyHV-3 from carriers to naïve common carp is still occurring in Lake Biwa.     

Rapid detection and identification of viral and bacterial fish pathogens using a DNA array-based multiplex assay

Fish diseases can be caused by a variety of diverse organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa, and pose a universal threat to the ornamental fish industry and aquaculture. The lack of rapid, accurate and reliable means by which fish pathogens can be detected and identified has been one of the main limitations in fish pathogen diagnosis and fish disease management and has consequently stimulated the search for alternative diagnostic techniques. Here, we describe a method based on multiplex and broad-range PCR amplification combined with DNA array hybridization for the simultaneous detection and identification of all cyprinid herpesviruses (CyHV-1, CyHV-2 and CyHV-3) and some of the most important fish pathogenic Flavobacterium species, including F. branchiophilum, F. columnare and F. psychrophilum. For virus identification, the DNA polymerase and helicase genes were targeted. For bacterial identification, the ribosomal RNA gene was used. The developed methodology permitted 100% specificity for the identification of the target species. Detection sensitivity was equivalent to 10 viral genomes or less than a picogram of bacterial DNA. The utility and power of the array for sensitive pathogen detection and identification in complex samples such as infected tissue is demonstrated in this study.     

Studies on Herpesvirus scophthalmi infection of turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L.) ultrastructural observations

Abstract. Recent heavy mortalities amongst O+ group turbot at a fish farm were found to be associated with a herpes-type viral infection of the epithelia of the skin and gills. The morphology of the virus is described with ultrastructural observations on its morphogenesis and release from infected cells.