BIOPHYSICAL AND SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF RHABDOVIRUS-903 87 ISOLATED FROM EUROPEAN LAKE TROUT SALMO-TRUTTA LACUSTRIS/

Rhabdovirus 903/87 isolated from European lake trout Salmo trutta lacu stris (L.) in Finland was compared serologically with 11 previously re ported fish rhabdoviruses. By immunofluorescence, the virus was not re lated to 9 of these rhabdoviruses; however, the lake trout rhabdovirus 903/87 was serologically related to perch rhabdovirus and pike rhabdo virus DK 5533. Electron microscopic examination showed the virus to be bullet-shaped, with dimensions of 156 x 65 nm. SDS-PAGE analyses of t he structural proteins indicated that the virus belonged to the Vesicu lovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae, but that the relative mobil ities of the glycoprotein and the phosphoprotein (also termed N5) coul d be used to differentiate the 903/87 isolate from the perch rhabdovir us and the pike rhabdovirus DK 5533. The rhabdovirus 903/87 appears to be a new pathogen of fish and we suggest that it be renamed the Europ ean lake trout rhabdovirus.