The First Isolation in North America of Infectious,Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) and Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) in Coho Salmon from the Same Watershed

Abstract

In November 1989, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) was found for the first time in the Soleduck River at the Washington Department of Fisheries Soleduck Hatchery. The virus was isolated from ovarian fluid and kidney-spleen tissue pools from chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and ovarian fluid pools from coho salmon O. kisutch returning to the Soleduck Hatchery. The virus was identified as IHNV by neutralization assays. In December 1989, the virus causing viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHSV) was found in ovarian fluid and milt pools from wild coho salmon obtained from the Soleduck and Bogachiel rivers and held at the Soleduck Hatchery. The virus was identified as VHSV by neutralization and immunoblot assays. These findings and their implications for routine broodstock sampling are discussed.