First isolation of herpesvirus of eel (Herpesvirus anguillae) in diseased European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) in Europe

In 1998 a cytopathogenic agent was isolated from diseased European eel (Ang uilla anguilla) in an eel-kidney cell line (EK-1 cells) and was characteriz ed as a herpesvirus by electron microscopy. This virus multiplied well in E K-1 cells but poorly in cells of different fish species: RTG-2 cells of tro ut and FHM cells of Fathead minnow. The virus appeared to be related antige nically to the Herpesvirus anguillae isolated from European and Japanese ee l (A. japonica) in Japan by Sane et al. (M. Sano, H. Fukuda and T. Sano (19 90). Isolation and characterization of a new herpesvirus in eel. In: Pathol ogy in Marine Science 3rd: 1988. T.O. Perkins and T.C Cheng eds., Ac. Press , New York), The importance of this herpesvirus as a cause of disease of ee l in aquaculture is emphasized by four more isolations since this first iso lation. and by eight more isolations at retrospective examination of tissue homogenates of diseased eel, which had been stored in the freezer since 19 96.