PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF THE DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES TO LYMPHOCYSTIS DISEASE VIRUS IN FLOUNDER, PLATICHTHYS-FLESUS L, EXPOSED TO CONTAMINATED HARBOR SLUDGE

Flounder, Platichthys flesus L., were exposed to polluted harbour slud ge, or to sludge wash-off in mesocosms for three years. Towards the en d the study, a pilot experiment was initiated in which flounder antibo dies against lymphocystis disease virus were measured in fish held in the mesocosms for 2.5 or 3 years. Although both the sub-sample sizes a nd number of fish with detectable antibody were small, it was found th at between the two sampling periods there was a significant reduction in the number of antibody-positive fish in the mesocosm containing pol luted harbour sludge, compared to fish in the mesocosm containing slud ge wash-off, or a control mesocosm. The significance of that finding i s discussed.