Viral Diseases of Fish

Maxs U.E. Sanam

• Rule - out diagnoses (viral infections):
Presumptive diagnosis is based on the
absence of other etiologies combined with a
diagnostically appropriate history, clinical
signs, and/or pathology.
• Definitive diagnosis is based on presumptive
diagnosis combined with confirmation of viral
presence (e.g., antibody probe, gene probe)
 Names of Viral Diseases
• Channel catfi sh virus disease
• Infectious pancreatic necrosis and other aquatic
birnaviruses
• Infectious hematopoietic necrosis
• Viral hemorrhagic septicemia
• Infectious salmon anemia
• Spring viremia of carp
• Iridoviral diseases
• Nodaviral diseases
• Koi herpesvirus disease
• Alphavirus diseases
• Miscellaneous systemic viral diseases and infecti
• Method of Diagnosis
Clinical signs characteristic of the disease combined with either or
both:
1. Antibody or gene test of tissue or cultured virus
2. Histopathology of diagnostic lesions
• History
• Varies with etiological agent and environmental conditions
(especially temperature)
• Physical Examination
Varies with etiological agent and environment
• Treatment
1. Disinfect and quarantine
2. Eliminate source of contamination (i.e., water or fi sh)
• Systemic viral infections are common and
important diseases. Over 125 different viruses
have been identified in fish (Essbauer and
Ahne 2001 ) and new viruses are being
discovered at an increasing rate.
General characteristics of viral diseases of fish include:
• Often temperature - dependent pathogenicity
• Host - specifi c (usually affecting only one species or a closely related
group of species)
• Usually young fi sh get sick, while older fi sh become carriers
• Common clinical signs include:
• Exophthalmos
• Abdominal distension
• Hemorrhage
• Common microscopic lesions include:
• Organ necrosis
• Intracellular inclusions
Not all of these characteristics occur in all viral diseases.
• No medications are available to treat any fish
viral disease. Various antiviral compounds have
been tried with varying success, but none are
commercially available for use in fish. Thus, one
must rely upon disinfection and quarantine, or
sometimes environmental manipulation (e.g.,
temperature) for management.
• Avoidance is the best method of control. This
includes obtaining fish only from certifi ed virus -
free stocks and raising fi sh in virus - free water
(spring, well, or disinfected).
• When exposure to virus - infected water is unavoidable
(e.g., using contaminated surface waters), stocking fi sh
that are past the age of greatest susceptibility is an
option, since most important viral diseases are most
damaging to young fish.
• Considerable experimental work has been done with
vaccines, including inactivated and live attenuated
preparations. DNA vaccines also hold promise (Walczak
et al. 1981 ; Fryer et al. 1976 ; Vinitnantharat et al.
1999 ). Vaccines for some viral diseases are licensed for
use in some countries.
• Definitive diagnosis of systemic viral disease is
based on observation of relevant history, clinical
signs and/or pathology in combination with virus
identifi cation/ detection via either an antibody
or a gene test.
• Some viruses may be present in low numbers
without causing disease, requiring quantification
to determine its importance in causing disease.
• Some viruses may be shed from asymptomatic
carriers during spawning time (e.g., IPN, IHN,
VHS).
Channel Catfish Virus Disease ( CCVD )
• Prevalence Index
• WF - 2
• Method of Diagnosis
• Identifi cation of channel catfi sh virus infection in fish displaying typical clinical
signs and pathology
• History
• Acute to chronic morbidity/mortality; corkscrew spiral swimming
• Physical Examination
• Reddening on body and base of fi ns; depression; exophthalmos;
• swollen abdomen; equilibrium deficit
• Treatment
• 1. Disinfect and quarantine
• 2. Reduce temperature to less than 15 ° C (59 ° F)
• 3. Treat secondary infections
Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis ( IPN ) and Other Aquatic Birnaviruses
• Prevalence Index
• CF - 1, CM - 3
• Method of Diagnosis
• Identif cation of birnavirus infection in fish displaying typical clinical signs
and pathology
• History
• Usually acute, sometimes chronic, morbidity/mortality
• Physical Examination
• Neurological signs; trailing white feces; dorsal darkening; abdominal
distension; exophthalmos; hemorrhage; pale gills; catarrhal exudate in
stomach
• Treatment
1. Disinfect and quarantine
2. Raise fish in virus - free water for first 6 months of life
 Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis ( IHN ; Chinook Salmon Disease Virus,
Sacramento River Chinook Disease, Columbia River Sockeye Disease, Oregon
Sockeye Disease)
• IHN virus, a rhabdovirus, is a major cause of mortality in salmonids (Bootland and
Leong 1999 ).
• Notifiable to OIE
• Prevalence Index
CF - 2, CM - 3
• Method of Diagnosis
Identification of IHN virus infection in fi sh displaying typical clinical signs and
pathology
• History
Variable; acute to chronic morbidity/mortality
• Physical Examination
Lethargy; sporadic hyperactivity; long, thick, trailing white feces; dorsal darkening;
abdominal distension; exophthalmos; hemorrhage; pale gills; mucoid fluid in
stomach
• Treatment
1. Disinfect and quarantine
2. Raise temperature above 15 ° C (59 ° F)
3. Treat eggs with povidone iodine
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia ( VHS ; EGTVED Disease)
• Notifi able to OIE
• Prevalence Index
• CF - 2, CM - 4
• Method of Diagnosis
• Identifi cation of VHS virus infection in fish displaying
typical clinical signs and pathology
• History
Acute to chronic morbidity/mortality
• Physical Examination
Neurological signs; lethargy; darkening; exophthalmos;
swollen abdomen; hemorrhage
• Treatment
• Disinfect and quarantine
 Infectious Salmon Anemia ( ISA ; Hemorrhagic Kidney Syndrome [
HKS])

• Notifiable to OIE
• Prevalence Index
CM - 1
• Method of Diagnosis
• Identifi cation of ISA virus infection in fi sh displaying typical clinical
signs and pathology
• History
Mainly chronic but sometimes acute morbidity/ mortality
• Physical Examination
• Lethargy; hanging head up; dyspnea; abdominal distension;
exophthalmos; skin hemorrhage; pale gills
• Treatment
Disinfect and quarantine
 Spring Viremia of Carp ( SVC ; Rhabdovirus carpio Infection, Swim
Bladder Inflammation [ SBI ])

• Notifi able to OIE

• Prevalence Index
• CF - 2
• Method of Diagnosis
• Identifi cation of SVC virus infection in fi sh displaying typical clinical
signs and pathology
• History
• Acute to chronic morbidity/mortality
• Physical Examination
• Lethargy; lying on bottom of pond; trailing mucus cast from anus
• Treatment
• Disinfect and quarantine
Iridoviral Diseases

• Notifi able to OIE

Only epizootic hematopoetic necrosis and red sea bream iridovirus
• Prevalence Index
WM - 2, CF - 3, CM - 3
• Method of Diagnosis
• Identifi cation of specifi c iridovirus infection in fi sh displaying
typical clinical signs and pathology
• History
Acute to chronic morbidity/mortality
• Physical Examination
Varies greatly with affected species: abnormal swimming,
reddening of body, skin ulcers, anemia and/or abdominal distension
• Treatment
Disinfect and quarantine
 Nodaviral Diseases (Viral Nervous Necrosis [ VNN ]; Vacuolating
Encephalopathy and Retinopathy [ VER ])

• Prevalence Index
WM - 2, CM - 3
• Method of Diagnosis
Identifi cation of nodavirus infection in fi sh displaying typical clinical signs
and pathology
• History
Usually acute but sometimes chronic morbidity/ mortality
• Physical Examination
Abnormal swimming (whirling, belly - up); abnormally dark or light body
color
• Treatment
1. Apply appropriate biosecurity
a. Disinfect and quarantine
b. Screen broodstock to eliminate carriers
c. Ozone antisepsis of eggs
 Koi Herpesvirus Disease ( KHVD ; Carp Nephritis and Gill Necrosis
Virus [ CNGV ])

• Notifi able to OIE

• Prevalence Index
WF - 2
• Method of Diagnosis
Identifi cation of KHV infection in fi sh displaying typical clinical
signs and pathology
• History
Acute morbidity/mortality
• Physical Examination
Pale, swollen, mottled gills; abnormal coloration, skin lesions,
enophthalmos, dyspnea, erratic swimming
• Treatment
Disinfect and quarantine
 Alphavirus Diseases (Pancreas Disease [ PD ]; Sudden
Death Syndrome [ SDS ]; Sleeping Disease [ SD ])

• Prevalence Index
CF - 3, CM - 3
• Method of Diagnosis
Identifi cation of alphavirus infection in fi sh displaying
typical clinical signs and pathology
• History/Physical Examination
Pancreas disease: anorexia; emaciation
Sleeping disease: fi sh recumbent on bottom
• Treatment
None
Referensi:
Noga, E.J. 2010. Fish Disease: Diagnosis and
Treatment. 2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell. Hal. 269