Abstract

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry and yearling were found to undergo an active but subclinical infection following exposure to infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) virus. Eight-week-old Atlantic salmon fry were fed live virus and the mortality and virus concentration in these fry were recorded over a period of 78 d following exposure. Yearling Atlantic salmon were inoculated intraperitoneally with IPN virus and the concentration of virus in the pancreas-intestine, kidneys, spleen, liver, and gonads of inoculated fish was determined over a period of 74 d following inoculation. Virus first appeared in the fry 3 d postinoculation (DPI) and virus titers reached a peak by 8 DPI. Low levels of virus persisted in fry sampled 78 DPI. Virus first appeared in the pancreas-intestine of Atlantic salmon 12 h post-inoculation (HPI) and was detected in the kidneys, liver and spleen by 72 HPI. Peak virus titers were reached in the pancreas-intestine by 72 HPI. Both the pancreas-intestine and kidneys continued to support viral growth frequently and appeared to be important reservoirs of virus. At no time was virus isolated from the gonads inoculated yearling. Histological examination of yearlings revealed degenerative changes in the pancreatic acinar tissue and in some cases focal necrosis in the liver. No histological abnormalities were found in IPN-infected fry.

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