DAO 105:101-108 (2013)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02604

ABSTRACT: Cyprinid herpesvirus-3 (CyHV-3, koi herpesvirus, KHV) is the causative agent of an economically important disease in carp. The mode of transmission of this virus, especially how the infectious agent is introduced into ponds de novo, is not known in detail. The aim of this study was to investigate the shedding of CyHV-3 from fish with latent infections, under aquaculture conditions. Ponds in Saxony, Germany, with latently infected carp were examined at different times during the production cycle to investigate the influence of fish farming procedures on virus activation and shedding. Carp and water samples were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR. Some of the latently infected carp shed CyHV-3. Virus shedding was induced mainly when the ponds were drained and the carp either harvested or moved to different ponds, and was independent of the water temperature. This indicated that during these times there was a risk that effluent water from the ponds could disseminate the infectious agent. During summer, on-growing carp are infected with low numbers of CyHV-3. These findings are important for disease management strategies in carp aquaculture and for the design of testing protocols for the detection of latent infection in carp populations.

KEY WORDS: Cyprinid herpesvirus-3 · CyHV-3 · Koi herpesvirus · KHV · Transmission · Quantification · Real-time PCR

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Cite this article as: Baumer A, Fabian M, Wilkens MR, Steinhagen D, Runge M (2013) Epidemiology of cyprinid herpesvirus-3 infection in latently infected carp from aquaculture. Dis Aquat Org 105:101-108. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02604 Export citation Share:    Facebook - - linkedIn