Publications
Below is a list of available Fish Health Program peer reviewed and published science.
Filter Total Items: 323
Development of an aquatic pathogen database (AquaPathogen X) and its utilization in tracking emerging fish virus pathogens in North America
The AquaPathogen X database is a template for recording information on individual isolates of aquatic pathogens and is freely available for download (http://wfrc.usgs.gov). This database can accommodate the nucleotide sequence data generated in molecular epidemiological studies along with the myriad of abiotic and biotic traits associated with isolates of various pathogens (e.g. viruses, parasites
Authors
E.J. Emmenegger, E. Kentop, T.M. Thompson, S. Pittam, A. Ryan, D. Keon, J.A. Carlino, J. Ranson, R.B. Life, R.M. Troyer, K.A. Garver, Gael Kurath
A reverse genetics system for the Great Lakes strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus: the NV gene is required for pathogenicity
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), belonging to the genus Novirhabdovirus in the family of Rhabdoviridae, causes a highly contagious disease of fresh and saltwater fish worldwide. Recently, a novel genotype of VHSV, designated IVb, has invaded the Great Lakes in North America, causing large-scale epidemics in wild fish. An efficient reverse genetics system was developed to generate a recom
Authors
Arun Ammayappan, Gael Kurath, Tarin M. Thompson, Vikram N. Vakharia
Diagnostic methodology is critical for accurately determining the prevalence of ichthyophonus infections in wild fish populations
Several different techniques have been employed to detect and identify Ichthyophonus spp. in infected fish hosts; these include macroscopic observation, microscopic examination of tissue squashes, histological evaluation, in vitro culture, and molecular techniques. Examination of the peer-reviewed literature revealed that when more than 1 diagnostic method is used, they often result in significant
Authors
R. Kocan, H. Dolan, P. Hershberger
Energetic cost of ichthyophonus infection in Juvenile Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii)
The energetic costs of fasting and Ichthyophonus infection were measured in juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) in a lab setting at three temperatures. Infected herring incurred significant energetic costs, the magnitude of which depended on fish condition at the time of infection (fat versus lean). Herring that were fed continually and were in relatively good condition at the time of infec
Authors
Johanna J. Vollenweider, J.L. Gregg, R.A. Heintz, P.K. Hershberger
A novel member of the family Hepeviridae from cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
Beginning in 1988, the Chinook salmon embryo (CHSE-214) cell line was used to isolate a novel virus from spawning adult trout in the state of California, USA. Termed the cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) virus (CTV), the small, round virus was not associated with disease, but was subsequently found to be present in an increasing number of trout populations in the western USA, likely by a comb
Authors
William Batts, Susan Yun, Ronald Hedrick, James Winton
Complex dynamics at the interface between wild and domestic viruses of finfish
Viral traffic occurs readily between wild and domesticated stocks of finfish because aquatic environments have greater connectivity than their terrestrial counterparts and because the global expansion and dynamic nature of intensive aquaculture provide multiple pathways of transmission and unique drivers of virus adaptation. Supported by examples from the literature, we provide reasons why viruses
Authors
Gael Kurath, J. Winton
Effects of environmental temperature on the dynamics of ichthyophoniasis in Juvenile Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii)
The effects of temperature and infection by Ichthyophonus were examined in juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) maintained under simulated overwinter fasting conditions. In addition to defining parameters for a herring bioenergetics model (discussed in Vollenweider et al. this issue), these experiments provided new insights into factors influencing the infectivity and virulence of the parasi
Authors
J.L. Gregg, Johanna J. Vollenweider, C.A. Grady, R.A. Heintz, P.K. Hershberger
Specificity of DNA vaccines against the U and M genogroups of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a fish rhabdovirus that causes significant mortality in salmonid species. In North America IHNV has three major genogroups designated U, M, and L. Host-specificity of the M and U genogroups of IHNV has been established both in the field and in experimental challenges, with M isolates being more prevalent and more virulent in rainbow trout (Oncorhyn
Authors
M.M.D. Penaranda, S. E. LaPatra, Gael Kurath
Larval and juvenile Pacific herring Clupea pallasii are not susceptible to infectious hematopoietic necrosis under laboratory conditions
Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) leads to periodic epidemics among certain wild and farmed fish species of the Northeast (NE) Pacific. The source of the IHN virus (IHNV) that initiates these outbreaks remains unknown; however, a leading hypothesis involves viral persistence in marine host species such as Pacific herring Clupea pallasii. Under laboratory conditions we exposed specific patho
Authors
L.M. Hart, G.S. Traxler, K.A. Garver, J. Richard, J.L. Gregg, C.A. Grady, Gael Kurath, P.K. Hershberger
A nuclear localization of the infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus NV protein is necessary for optimal viral growth
The nonvirion (NV) protein of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) has been previously reported to be essential for efficient growth and pathogenicity of IHNV. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the NV supports the viral growth. In this study, cellular localization of NV and its role in IHNV growth in host cells was investigated. Through transient transfection in RTG-2
Authors
M.K. Choi, C. H. Moon, M.S. Ko, U.-H. Lee, W. Cho, S.J. Cha, J.W. Do, G.J. Heo, S.G. Jeong, Y.S. Hahm, A. Harmache, M. Bremont, Gael Kurath, J. W. Park
THE SKIN | Functional morphology of the integumentary system in fishes
The integument that covers the outer surface of a fish’s body and fins is a multifunctional organ, with morphological features highly adapted to carry out these functions. The integument consists of two layers. The outer layer, the epidermis, is essentially cellular in structure, comprised of a multilayered epithelium that usually includes specialized cells. The inner layer, the dermis, is primari
Authors
D.G. Elliott
Detection of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus by Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction from Two Fish Species at Two Sites in Lake Superior
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) was first detected in the Laurentian Great Lakes in 2005 during a mortality event in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario. Subsequent analysis of archived samples determined that the first known isolation of VHSV in the Laurentian Great Lakes was from a muskellunge Esox masquinongy collected in Lake St. Clair in 2003. By the end of 2008, mortality events and vi
Authors
Emily R. Cornwell, Geofrey E. Eckerlin, Rodman G. Getchell, Geoffrey H. Groocock, Tarin M. Thompson, William N. Batts, Rufina N. Casey, Gael Kurath, James R. Winton, Paul R. Bowser, Mark B. Bain, James W. Casey