Abstract

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia in the United States of America: Follow-up report No. 1.

OIE
WAHIS - WOAH Disease Information (on-line)
19
28
2006
VIRAL HAEMORRHAGIC SEPTICAEMIA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Follow-up report No. 1

See also: 2 February 2006

Information received on 11 July 2006 from Dr Ron DeHaven, Associate Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC:

End of previous report period:
13 January 2006 (see Disease Information , 19 [5], 75, dated 2 February 2006).

End of this report period:
10 July 2006.

Identification of agent:
strain IVb of the viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV).

New host species:
Neogobius melanostomus(
round goby); Esox masquinongy( muskellunge); Dorosoma cepedianum( gizzard shad); Stizostedion vitreum( walleye); Morone chrysops( white bass); Moxostoma anisurum( silver redhorse); Esox lucius( northern pike); Aplodinotus grunniens( freshwater drum); Perca flavescens( yellow perch); Micropterus dolomieui( smallmouth bass); Moxostoma macrolepidotum( shorthead redhorse)
Many of these species of fish are currently not listed in the Aquatic Animal Health Code as being susceptible to VHS.

Date of first confirmation of the event:
19 May 2006.

Clinical disease:
yes.

Nature of diagnosis:
clinical and basic and advanced laboratory tests.

Details of occurrence :
First administrative division (State):
New York / Michigan / Ohio; Type of epide-miological unit: river and lake / lake / lake and bay; Name of the location: St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario (Irondequoit Bay) / Lake St. Clair / Sandusky Bay/Lake Erie; Date of start of the outbreak: … / … / … Species: pis(a) / pis(b) / pis(c); Number of animals in the occurrence: susceptible: … / … / … cases: … / … / … deaths: … / … / … destroyed: … / … / … slaughtered: … / … / …
(a) Neogobius melanostomus, Esox masquinongy
(b) Dorosoma cepedianum, Perca flavescens, Esox lucius, Moxostoma anisurum, Moxostoma macrolepidotum
(c) Aplodinotus grunniens, Perca flavescens, Micropterus dolomieui, Stizostedion vitreum, Morone chrysops
Depending on the species affected, die-offs have ranged from a few fish (large muskellunge) to several thousand.

Affected population:
wild fish in fresh water.

Diagnosis:
Laboratories where diagnostic tests were performed:
Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, New York / Western Fisheries Research Center, New York / Michigan State University / US Fish and Wildlife, La Crosse Fish Health Center, Ohio; Species examined: pis / pis / pis / pis; Diagnostic tests used: cell culture (EPC, BF2 cells) / PCR(1) / - cell culture - PCR(1) / cell culture (EPC, CHSE-214 and BF2 cells); Dates: … / … / … / … Results: positive / positive / positive / positive
Source of occurrence or origin of infection: unknown or inconclusive.

Control measures undertaken:

- surveillance within containment and/or buffer zone;
- surveillance outside containment and/or buffer zone;
- within-country movement controls.

Treatment of infected animals:
no.

Final report:
no.
(1) PCR: polymerase chain reaction
WOAH