Studies on the identification and characterisation of certain fish viruses with special reference to lymphocystis and piscine erythrocytic necrosis (PEN) viruses

• Main Author: Smail, David A.
• Other Authors: School of Biological and Marine Sciences
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Plymouth 1979
• Subjects: atlantic cod; Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/586; https://doi.org/10.24382/1354

This is a digitised version of a thesis that was deposited in the University Library. If you are the author and you have a query about this item please contact PEARL Admin ([e-mail]) Metadata merged with duplicate record (http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/2302) on 20.12.2016 by CS (TIS). Studies were performed on two types of infection of teleost fish where viruses have been observed by electron microscopy: erythrocytic infections in the Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) and the Common Blenny (Blennius hpo lis) and lymphcystis disease., Searches were made for new, isolations of these infections Ja British coastal waters and on shores chiefly in the vicinity of Plymouth and Aberystwyth. In the absence of disease symptoms, the blood of fish was, screened for the presence of viral inclusion bodies by standard haematological methods. PEN in cod was found in the North Sea-. and in the Celtic Sea off southern Eire, thus extending the previous distribution data from the Atlantic-coastal waters. of North America. The blenny infection was also found in new sites on shores in the vicinity of Plymouth. Moreover, the cytology of these infectionswas as had been previously described. Collection data for the PEN infections showed an inverses; - relationship of infection incidence-with age for cod sample populations but no correlation was found for blenny sample populations. In addition, no external disease symptoms were observed in either type of infection. Concerning the recognition of the blenny infection, observations from maintaining blennies suggested the length of the natural infection might be inversely related to temperature; non-experimental longevities are quoted in this connection. The degree of infection in individual fish was estimated by light microscopy and the estimates for both erythrocytic infections cover the range 1-60% infection. Attempts were made to propagate the viruses in vitro using fish cell and organ cultures. Primary cell cultures were originated from tissues of the Blenny, Flounder, ...