S. Oshima et al., RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF RED-SEA BREAM IRIDOVIRUS INFECTION USING THE POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION, Diseases of aquatic organisms, 32(2), 1998, pp. 87-90
A simple and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assay is
described for detection of the red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) in infe
cted fish. The assay involves amplification of a portion of the ribonu
cleotide reductase small subunit (RNRS) gene of the virus from DNA iso
lated from the spleen. The system was tested on red sea bream followin
g an experimental infection. In our infection model, disease signs fir
st became apparent 5 to 6 d post-infection, and mortality commenced at
Day 6 and reached 90% by Day 9. No amplified product was detected fro
m fish at 1 or 2 d postinfection, but 3 of 5 fish tested positive at D
ay 3, and all fish tested positive at Days 5 and 8. Thus, infection co
uld be detected prior to the appearance of overt symptoms. This PCR me
thod should be of considerable value for aquaculture to detect RSIV in
fection.