Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) in Coho Salmon

Abstract

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) causes important losses of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka, and rainbow trout and steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss on the west coast of North America. Although coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch are considered resistant to IHNV infection, the virus was detected in numerous adult coho salmon returning to Trinity River Hatchery, California, in 1985 and 1986. The virus was isolated from internal organs and ovarian fluids of these fish. Antigenic and structural polypeptides of the viruses were identical in adult coho and chinook salmon collected at the same location. Chinook salmon and rainbow trout alevins exhibited high degrees of susceptibility to IHNV obtained from adult coho and chinook salmon. Coho salmon alevins were resistant to both virus isolants.