Outbreaks of ulcerative disease associated with ranavirus infection in barcoo grunter,Scortum barcoo (McCulloch & Waite) |
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| Authors: | P Kayansamruaj A Rangsichol H T Dong C Rodkhum M Maita T Katagiri N Pirarat |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand;2. Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand;3. Department of Fish Disease Diagnosis, Aquatic Animal Research Center, Bangkok, Thailand;4. Department Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand;5. Laboratory of Fish Health Management, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan;6. Wildlife, Exotic and Aquatic Pathology‐ Special Task Force for Activating Research, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand |
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| Abstract: | In 2013, an outbreak of ulcerative disease associated with ranavirus infection occurred in barcoo grunter, Scortum barcoo (McCulloch & Waite), farms in Thailand. Affected fish exhibited extensive haemorrhage and ulceration on skin and muscle. Microscopically, the widespread haemorrhagic ulceration and necrosis were noted in gill, spleen and kidney with the presence of intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies. When healthy barcoo grunter were experimentally challenged via intraperitoneal and oral modes with homogenized tissue of naturally infected fish, gross and microscopic lesions occurred with a cumulative mortality of 70–90%. Both naturally and experimentally infected fish yielded positive results to the ranavirus‐specific PCR. The full‐length nucleotide sequences of major capsid protein gene of ranaviral isolates were similar to largemouth bass virus (LMBV) and identical to largemouth bass ulcerative syndrome virus (LBUSV), previously reported in farmed largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides L.), which also produced lethal ulcerative skin lesions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a LMBV‐like infection associated with skin lesions in barcoo grunter, adding to the known examples of ranavirus infection associated with skin ulceration in fish. |
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| Keywords: | barcoo grunter largemouth bass virus ranavirus skin ulcer |
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