Koi herpesvirus and carp edema virus threaten common carp aquaculture in Croatia

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a very important fish species for warm-water aquaculture in Croatia. All Croatian carp farms are subjected to a surveillance programme for the presence of koi herpesvirus (KHV), causing a deadly disease called koi herpesvirus disease (KHVD). However, there is no surveillance for other viral pathogens of importance like carp edema virus (CEV), a causative agent of koi sleepy disease (KSD). During regular testing within the KHVD surveillance programme, we tested samples for CEV simultaneously. The screening indicated possible outbreaks of KHVD and KSD. During 2016, KHVD broke out in an isolated area and soon thereafter a KHV eradication programme was successfully performed. However, during 2018 and 2019, two additional mortality events occurred in lakes in the southern part of Croatia during the spring. Samples from both events tested positive for CEV. An epidemiological investigation confirmed the introduction of infected carps from an infected farm to one of the lakes. To prevent the spreading of CEV into open waters, it is of utmost importance to introduce CEV testing before fish movement or to perform regular testing of all carp farms in the country to determine CEV prevalence for the purpose of implementation of control measures.     

Koi herpesvirus and carp oedema virus: Infections and coinfections during mortality events of wild common carp in the United States

Koi herpesvirus (KHV; cyprinid herpesvirus‐3) and carp oedema virus (CEV) are important viruses of common and koi carp (Cyprinus carpio); however, the distribution of these viruses in wild common carp in North America is largely unknown. During the summers of 2017 and 2018, 27 mass mortalities of common carp were reported from four states in the USA (Minnesota, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin), the majority of which were distributed across eight major watersheds in southern Minnesota. Samples from 22 of these mortality events and from five clinically healthy nearby carp populations were screened for KHV, CEV and SVCV using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). KHV was confirmed in 13 mortality events, CEV in two mortality events and coinfections of KHV/CEV in four mortality events. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the KHV and CEV detected here are closely related to European lineages of these viruses. While molecular detection alone cannot conclusively link either virus with disease, the cases described here expand the known range of two important viruses. This is also the first reported detection of KHV and CEV coinfections in wild carp populations.     

锦鲤疱疹病毒单交叉引物等温扩增检测方法的建立

本文根据锦鲤疱疹病毒(Koi herpes virus,KHV)保守的DNA聚合酶(Sph)基因,设计一组单交叉扩增引物,以构建的Sph基因重组质粒作为标准DNA模板,采用单交叉引物等温扩增技术(Single cross priming amplification,SCPA)进行扩增及优化反应体系,并结合核酸试纸条技术(Nucleic acid test strip detection method),建立了快速可视化检测锦鲤疱疹病毒的单交叉引物等温扩增检测方法(KHV-SCPA)。KHV-SCPA法可在63℃下60min内实现循环扩增,扩增产物经凝胶电泳呈现梯形条带,可特异性地检测出KHV,灵敏度较之常规PCR方法提高约1000倍。结合核酸试纸条检测技术,在3~5min内可对反应产物进行可视化检测。KHV-SCPA检测方法不依赖昂贵的仪器设备与专业技术人员,可应用于锦鲤疱疹病毒的现场快速检测中,为锦鲤疱疹病毒病的准确快速诊断和有效防控提供了技术支撑。     

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.     

Isolation of a cyprinid herpesvirus 2 from goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.), in the UK

Haematopoietic necrosis virus [cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2)] was isolated during disease outbreaks in goldfish, Carassius auratus, at an ornamental fish retail site in southern England in 2004. Signs of disease included lethargy and inappetence and were first seen after water temperatures increased from 14-15 to 19-21 degrees C. External gross pathology included pale patches on the gills and skin and internally the spleen was enlarged, often with distinctive white nodules. The most prominent histopathological changes observed were necrotic lesions in the spleen and kidney and focal patches of necrosis in the gill lamellae. Necrotic cells often contained nuclei with marginated chromatin and pale intranuclear inclusions. Ultrastructural examination of the spleen tissue revealed typical herpesvirus-like particles measuring 100 nm in diameter. The virus was isolated from extracts of gill tissue in KF-1 cells at 20 degrees C and oligonucleotide primer sets were designed based on conserved gene sequences and used to amplify viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR assays were then used to detect the virus in DNA extracted from tissues sampled during earlier disease investigations at the retail site owner's holding facility in 2002 and 2003 and stored at -70 degrees C since then. Polymerase gene-specific PCR amplification products obtained from tissue samples and from the virus isolated in cell culture shared 100% nucleotide sequence identity with the published sequence for CyHV-2.     

Sensitivity of seven PCRs for early detection of koi herpesvirus in experimentally infected carp,Cyprinus carpio L., by lethal and non-lethal sampling methods

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) causes an economically important, highly infectious disease in common carp and koi, Cyprinus carpio L. Since the occurrence of mass mortalities worldwide, highly specific and sensitive molecular diagnostic methods have been developed for KHV detection. The sensitivity and reliability of these assays have essentially focused at the detection of low viral DNA copy numbers during latent or persistent infections. However, the efficacy of these assays has not been investigated with regard to low-level viraemia during acute infection stages. This study was conducted to compare the sensitivity of seven different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect KHV during the first hours and days post-infection (hpi; dpi), using lethal and non-lethal sampling methods. The results highlight the limitations of the assays for detecting virus during the first 4 dpi despite rapid mortality in experimentally infected carp. False-negative results were associated with time post-infection and the tissue sampled. Non-lethal sampling appears effective for KHV screening, with efficient detection in mucus samples obtained from external swabs during this early infection period (<5 dpi), while biopsies from gills and kidney were negative using the same PCR assays. Non-lethal sampling may improve the reliability of KHV detection in subclinical, acutely infected carp.     

Koi herpesvirus epizootic in cultured carp and koi, Cyprinus carpio L., in Taiwan

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) poses a significant threat to cultured koi and common carp, both Cyprinus carpio L. Since the first reported case in Israel in 1998, KHV has rapidly spread worldwide. This study investigates the spread of KHV to Taiwan by collecting 49 cases of suspected common carp and koi infections from 2003 to 2005 for analysis. Clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, increased respiratory movements and uncoordinated swimming. Hyperaemia, haemorrhage on body surface and necrotic gill filaments were recorded. Gill epithelial hyperplasia, necrosis and eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed by histological examination, while virions were detected using transmission electron microscopy. By detecting the presence of the KHV thymidine kinase (TK) gene and the KHV 9/5 gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 37 cases were identified as KHV-positive, and the cumulative mortality of infected fish was 70-100%. Positive cases showed identical sequences for the genes analysed, implying that they were of the same origin. For the KHV 9/5 gene sequence, these cases exhibited 100% identity with the Japanese strain (TUMST1, accession number AP008984) and 99% identity with the Israeli (KHV-I, DQ177346) and US (KHV-U, DQ657948) strains. Additionally, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was performed and found to be more sensitive than PCR tests, suggesting its potential use as a rapid diagnostic method for KHV. This is the first epidemiological study of KHV infection in cultured common carp and koi in Taiwan.     

Analysing codon usage bias of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 and adaptation of this virus to the hosts

The codon usage patterns of open reading frames (ORFs) in cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) have been investigated in this study. The high correlation between GC₁₂% and GC₃% suggests that mutational pressure rather than natural selection is the main factor that determines the codon usage and base component in the CyHV‐3, while mutational pressure effect results from the high correlation between GC₃% and the first principal axis of principle component analysis (Axis 1) on the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) value of the viral functional genes. However, the interaction between the absolute codon usage bias and GC₃% suggests that other selections take part in the formation of codon usage, except for the mutational pressure. It is noted that the similarity degree of codon usage between the CyHV‐3 and goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.), is higher than that between the virus and common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., suggesting that the goldfish plays a more important role than the common carp in codon usage pattern of the CyHV‐3. The study of codon usage in CyHV‐3 can provide some evidence about the molecular evolution of the virus. It can also enrich our understanding about the relationship between the CyHV‐3 and its hosts by analysing their codon usage patterns.     

四川地区一株锦鲤疱疹病毒的分离鉴定及系统进化分析

2015年5月,四川某鲤养殖场暴发一种传染性疾病,导致鲤大面积死亡,死亡率高达80%。为研究此次疾病病因和流行规律,将病料进行解剖、细菌学检查、病理组织观察、PCR鉴定、病毒分离和系统进化分析。结果显示,发病鱼眼球凹陷,胸鳍及腹鳍出现出血斑,病鱼鳃严重坏死,肾脏肿大。细菌检查为阴性。组织病理学观察,病变最明显的是鳃和肾脏。病鱼鳃丝血管扩张充血,鳃小片呼吸上皮细胞肿胀、脱落。鳃丝基部的上皮细胞大量增生,层次增多。肾小管上皮细胞组织结构紊乱,细胞肿胀,管腔变狭小,有崩裂和坏死现象。提取病鱼的肾脏和鳃组织DNA为模板,针对世界动物卫生组织(OIE)推荐的检测锦鲤疱疹病毒(KHV)的Sph基因进行PCR检测,出现特异性扩增产物。将病鱼的肾脏和肝脏组织研磨过滤灭菌后,腹腔注射20尾健康鲤,实验组表现为急性死亡(累积死亡率为90%),出现与自然发病鱼相同的症状。将组织匀浆接种到普通鲤脑细胞系(CCB),盲传3代后可稳定地观察到典型的细胞病变。细胞培养物染色超薄切片电镜观察结果显示,病毒为有囊膜的球状,病毒粒子直径为180~200 nm。对分离株的TK基因全长序列进行系统发育分析,证实该毒株属于KHV亚洲1型毒株。本研究首次报道我国西南地区养殖鲤中KHV感染引起大面积死亡,为KHV起源进化、分类以及疾病诊断和防控提供重要依据。     

Examination of the early infection stages of koi herpesvirus (KHV) in experimentally infected carp,Cyprinus carpio L. using in situ hybridization

Koi herpesvirus (KHV) causes a highly infectious disease afflicting common carp and koi, Cyprinus carpio L. Various molecular and antibody‐based detection methods have been used to elucidate the rapid attachment and dissemination of the virus throughout carp tissues, facilitating ongoing development of effective diagnostic approaches. In situ hybridization (ISH) was used here to determine the target tissues of KHV during very early infection, after infecting carp with a highly virulent KHV isolate. Analysis of paraffin‐embedded tissues (i.e. gills, skin, spleen, kidney, gut, liver and brain) during the first 8 h and following 10 days post‐infection (hpi; dpi) revealed positive signals in skin mucus, gills and gut sections after only 1 hpi. Respiratory epithelial cells were positive as early as 2 hpi. Viral DNA was also detected within blood vessels of various tissues early in the infection. Notable increases in signal abundance were observed in the gills and kidney between 5 and 10 dpi, and viral DNA was detected in all tissues except brain. This study suggests that the gills and gut play an important role in the early pathogenesis of this Alloherpesvirus, in addition to skin, and demonstrates ISH as a useful diagnostic tool for confirmation of acutely infected carp.     

抗鲤疱疹Ⅱ型病毒卵黄抗体制备及其功能鉴定

为制备抗鲤疱疹Ⅱ型病毒(CyHV-2)的卵黄抗体,探索防治异育银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)鳃出血病的新方法和途径,本研究利用原核表达系统产生具免疫原性的重组CyHV-2-ORF72衣壳蛋白,纯化后免疫蛋鸡;二次免疫后采用间接ELISA法抽检免疫蛋的特异性卵黄抗体(IgY)含量,收集抗体效价...     

Identification of a novel cyprinid herpesvirus 3 genotype detected in koi from the East Asian and South‐East Asian Regions

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) is a highly contagious virus that causes significant morbidity and mortality in common carp Cyprinus carpio L. and considered to be one of the most important pathogens of koi and common carp worldwide. Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 infected consignments imported from East Asian and South‐East Asian regions were identified during quarantine period in Singapore, and virus from a 2005 consignment was successfully isolated in koi fin cells. A combination of sequence analyses and duplex PCR were used to characterize 15 CyHV‐3 isolates detected in koi consignments between 2005 and 2011. Sequence analyses of the enlarged 9/5, SphI‐5 and TK gene regions identified both the Asian 1 (n = 11) and European 4 (n = 4) genotypes. Duplex PCR analysis of two variable marker regions between ORF29 and ORF30 (marker I) as well as ORF133 and its upstream region (marker II) revealed viruses of genotypes J (I⁺⁺II⁺), U/I (I⁻⁻II⁻), an intermediate genotype (I⁺⁺II⁻) and a novel genotype, I⁺⁺II^+Δ, which was identified in viruses from seven different consignments. This novel genotype has a 13‐bp deletion in marker II, while maintaining the I⁺⁺ allele of marker I. The I⁺⁺II^+Δ genotype may have emerged from East Asian and South‐East Asian regions in recent years.     

Persistence of cyprinid herpesvirus 2 in asymptomatic goldfish Carassius auratus (L.) that survived an experimental infection

Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV‐2) is the causative agent of herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN) in goldfish, Carassius auratus, and Prussian carp, C. auratus gibelio. In this study, we investigated virus persistence in goldfish experimentally infected with CyHV‐2. Virus DNA presence in organs was monitored in survivors reared at a virus permissive temperature and also in survivors treated with a non‐permissive temperature for 4 days, initiated at three different time points post‐infection in order to obtain fish with different virus loads. We detected virus DNA in all organs tested at 51 days post‐infection (dpi) and in the spleen, trunk kidney and gills of survivors at 81 dpi, although the virus load in fish influenced the subsequent number of organs that tested positive for virus DNA. In addition, some organs dissected from four out of five asymptomatic survivors tested positive by PCR following incubation in vitro in a medium for 5 days. Following inoculation with the homogenate of PCR‐positive kidney incubated in vitro, one of the three inoculated fish died, showing that the detected virus by PCR produced infectious particles. This study suggests that CyHV‐2 can establish a persistent infection in some organs, especially the spleen and trunk kidney, and that asymptomatic surviving fish can be a source of infection.     

锦鲤疱疹病毒GZ1301株的分离与鉴定

鲤疱疹病毒3型(cyprinid herpesvirus 3,CyHV-3)囊膜蛋白ORF65基因全长1 785 bp,编码594个氨基酸。该研究在稀有密码子分析及信号肽与跨膜结构预测的基础上,将pORF65中的N端信号肽与C端跨膜区段删除后进行密码子优化与基因合成,将合成的截短 ORF65 (truncated ORF65) 插入pET32a (+)载体,构建了pET32a-trunORF65;进一步采用DNAstar、ABCpred、BepiPred 1.0软件预测了pORF65的5个B细胞表位优势区段,以合成的截短ORF65为模板,通过SOE-PCR将5个B细胞表位优势区段编码序列融合后插入pET32a (+)载体,构建了pET32a-modORF65。重组质粒分别转入BL21 (DE3)菌株,经IPTG诱导,SDS-PAGE和Western-blot分析,pET32a-modORF65获得高效表达,表达的融合蛋白分子量为56.4 kD。此外,利用rProtein G亲和层析纯化了锦鲤(Cyprinus carpio haematopterus)血清IgM,免疫小鼠,制备了鼠抗锦鲤IgM多克隆抗体。在上述研究的基础上,将纯化的pORF65作为包被抗原,鼠抗锦鲤IgM多克隆抗体作为检测抗体,建立了间接ELISA方法,该方法可以检测pEGFP-ORF65 DNA疫苗免疫锦鲤后产生的特异性抗体。     

锦鲤疱疹病毒囊膜蛋白ORF59的克隆、分析及其主要B细胞表位区的原核表达

从感染锦鲤疱疹病毒（Koi herpesvirus,KHV）的锦鲤（Cyprinus carpiokoi）肾脏组织中提取DNA,通过PCR扩增了KHVORF59基因。该基因全长411bp,所编码的蛋白包含136个氨基酸,分子量14.3kDa,等电点（PI）6.91,有12个潜在的O糖基化位点。此研究克隆的KHVORF59基因第130位碱基由G突变为A,使其编码的第44位氨基酸由Ala突变为Thr。采用DNAStar程序,在综合分析二级结构柔性区、蛋白的亲水性、表面可能性和抗原性指数的基础上,预测了KHVORF59蛋白主要B细胞表位,并将其区段的编码序列与KHVORF59完整编码序列分别克隆入原核表达载体pET-32a（＋）,构建重组质粒pET32a-ORF59S和pET32a-ORF59C,转入大肠杆菌Rosetta菌株,IPTG诱导表达。SDS-PAGE及WesternBlot分析显示,pET32a-ORF59S可以高效表达,表达的截短KHVORF59蛋白主要以可溶性形式存在,采用HisBindResin填料,层析纯化了该截短蛋白。     

鳗鲡疱疹病毒对欧洲鳗鲡的致病性研究

为了明确鳗鲡疱疹病毒(Anguillid herpesvirus, AngHV)的致病性,本实验采用一株从鳗鲡“脱黏败血综合征”病料中分离的AngHV(NA16108),研究了其对欧洲鳗鲡幼鳗的致病性。结果显示,注射AngHV的鳗鲡体表出现黏液脱落、鳍条出血、红头等症状;鳃部出现黏液增多、出血,肝脏褪色、肿大,脾脏和肾脏肿大等病变;进一步的组织病理学观察发现,鳗鲡的体表黏液及黏膜上皮细胞脱落,次级鳃瓣增生、呼吸细胞肿胀坏死,脾脏细胞坏死、黑色素细胞聚集,肾小管管壁上皮细胞坏死、管腔变窄等病理症状;这与鳗鲡“脱黏败血综合征”的发病特征一致。致死率分析显示,从第4天开始攻毒组鳗鲡开始出现死亡,第7天和第14天的累计死亡率分别达到26.7%和56.7%;荧光定量PCR检测显示,在攻毒鳗鲡肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、肠道、鳃和皮肤黏液中均可检测到AngHV;另外,用鳗鲡卵巢细胞系(eel ovary cell line, EO)从攻毒鳗鲡主要内脏器官中重新分离出AngHV,表明鳗鲡发生了AngHV的系统侵染。研究表明,AngHV是鳗鲡“脱黏败血综合征”的致病病原,这为深入开展该病的发病机制及防控研究奠定了基础。     

Detection of Koi herpesvirus: impact of extraction method,primer set and DNA polymerase on the sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction examinations

Since virus isolation is seldom successful, KHV infection is commonly detected by PCR examination. A number of different PCR assays have been described in recent years. However, at present no commonly accepted PCR method is used amongst different laboratories. The aim of this study was to check if the examination of infected fish by different PCR methods yielded comparable results. We used tissue samples of three KHV‐infected koi, one KHV‐infected common carp, one KHV‐infected goldfish and one non‐infected common carp. DNA was extracted with DNAzol Reagent, High Pure PCR Template DNA Preparation Kit and QIAamp DNA Mini Kit. The DNA was tested by PCR with different combinations of published primer sets –KHV‐F and ‐R, KHV‐Gray‐2F and ‐2R and KHV‐TKf and ‐TKr – plus different DNA polymerases – a standard Taq DNA polymerase, a Platinum (hotstart) Taq DNA polymerase and a Platinum (hotstart) Pfx DNA polymerase with proofreading activity. The different extraction methods produced DNA solutions with different yields of DNA and different degrees of homogeneity. Also, the sensitivity of the PCR depended on the choice of the primer set and polymerase. Not all infected fish could be identified with all methods; there were large differences in the sensitivity between methods.     

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 ...     

锦鲤疱疹病毒CJ株ORF27基因克隆及生物信息学分析

为了解锦鲤疱疹病毒中国吉林株（KHV-CJ）ORF27基因编码蛋白的结构特征和进化关系,采用镜鲤尾鳍原代细胞增殖KHV-CJ,提取其DNA,经PCR扩增,获得ORF27基因,将其克隆在pMD18-T载体中,构建重组质粒。应用生物信息学方法初步分析KHV-CJ ORF27基因的结构和功能,并与GenBank上公布的三株KHV构建系统进化树。结果显示：获得207bp的ORF27基因,编码69个氨基酸;预测ORF27编码蛋白的理论分子质量为7366.62Da,等电点为4.487;抗原表位预测显示抗原性良好;编码蛋白存在1个N-糖基化位点、4个O糖基化位点和5个磷酸化位点;系统进化树分析表明与锦鲤疱疹病毒美国株（KHV-U）属同一分支。