Virus Surveillance of Wild Marine Fish Collected in Coastal Areas of Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

A total 645 wild marine fish of 40 species were collected at the north (Wakkanai and Haboro), south (Hakodate) and east (Akkeshi) coasts of Hokkaido from 2000 to 2004 to conduct surveillance of fish viruses. Four fish cell lines (RTG-2, EPC, CHSE-214, FHM) were used for virus isolation from the brain, kidney and spleen of fish. Aquabirnavirus, which was identified as yellowtail ascites virus by a neutralization test, was isolated only from ten fish of four species caught at Akkeshi coastal area in 2002. These species were saffron cod Eleginus gracilis, snowy sculpin Myoxocephalus blandti, Japanese dace Tribolodon hakonensis and rainbow smelt Osmerus eperlanus mordax. Other viruses including viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus were not isolated.