Detection of betanodaviruses in apparently healthy aquarium fishes and invertebrates.
Betanodaviruses are the causative agents of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in cultured marine fish. A total of 237 apparently healthy aquarium fish, marine (65 species) and freshwater (12 species) fishes and marine invertebrates (4 species), which were stocked in a commercial aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, were collected from November 2005 to February 2006. The brains of the fish and other tissues of the invertebrates were examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR to detect betanodavirus. Positive nested PCR results were obtained from the brains of 8 marine fish species (shrimp fish Aeoliscus strigatus, milkfish Chanos chanos, three spot damsel Dascyllus trimaculatus, Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus, pinecone fish Monocentris japonica, blue ribbon eel Rhinomuraena quaesita, look down fish Selene vomer, yellow tang Zebrasoma flavesenes), 1 marine invertebrate species (spiny lobster Pamulirus versicolor), and 2 freshwater fish species (South American leaf fish Monocirrhus polyacanthus and red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri). The detection rate in nested PCR was 11/237 (4.64%). These subclinically infected aquarium fish and invertebrates may constitute an inoculum source of betanodaviruses for cultured fishes in the Korean Peninsula.
Gomez
Dennis Kaw
DK
KRF Zoonotic Disease Priority Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
Lim
Dong Joo
DJ
Baeck
Gun Wook
GW
Youn
Hee Jeong
HJ
Shin
Nam Shik
NS
Youn
Hwa Young
HY
Hwang
Cheol Yong
CY
Park
Jun Hong
JH
Park
Se Chang
SC
D000818:Animals; D003445:Crustacea; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005399:Fishes; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D030381:Nodaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012327:RNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
D012367:RNA, Viral