| Summary: | During cruises with Danish research vessels more than 17,000 wild marine fish belonging to 41 different species were sampled and examined virologically. Birnavirus serogroup B was isolated from 7 marine fish species: plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), dab (Limanda limanda), flounder (Platichthys flesus), smear dab (Microstomus kitt), long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides), cod (Gadus morhua) and grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) with 43 of the 45 isolations coming from flatfish. Birnavirus serogroup B seems to be endemic in the North Sea close to Denmark and in the Skagerrak and the Kattegat. Surveillance of aquacultured fish, mainly rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), for VHS, IHN and IPN, in Denmark during the previous 30 years, have resulted in Birnavirus serogroup B isolations twice. These isolations were from healthy rainbow trout. Samples sent to the Danish Veterinary Laboratory for virological examination and characterisation have revealed the presence of Birnavirus serogroup B in haddock (ML Melanogrammus aeglefinus), plaice and dab from wild marine fish caught by Irish fishermen and from Icelandic farmed halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus).
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