Inoculation of Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus Serotype Sp did not cause Pancreas Disease in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Atlantic salmon were selected from a fish farm with no previous record of pancreas disease (PD) or infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) infection. Groups of fish were inoculated with either IPNV (strain Sp) from cell culture, organ material from fish with PD or control material as phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Virological, histological and immunohistochemical examinations were carried out throughout the experiment. None of the fish died or showed clinical symptoms of PD. Histological examination revealed no pathological changes, and immunohistochemical studies were negative. Virus was isolated only sporadically from the group inoculated with organ material, whereas it was isolated consistently from the group inoculated with virus propagated in cell culture, as well as from in-contact control fish after the first week. In a latent carrier test, changes were entirely lacking in the first mentioned group, and were only slight in the last mentioned group. The data suggest that PD is not a transmissible disease, and that IPNV isolated from a PD outbreak does not play any part in the etiology of this disease.     

Equine Herpesviruses 1 and 4: Amplification and Differentiation by Polymerase Chain Reaction

Equine herpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) are important pathogens responsible for considerable economic losses in the horse industry. Differentiation between these 2 viruses using conventional serological methods with polyclonal antisera has been difficult. Biological differences have, however, been recognised for a long time. Both EHV-1 and EHV-4 are associated with upper respiratory disease, but disseminated infection with EHV-1 can result in neurological disorders or abortion in susceptible mares.