Inter-Research
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

ABSTRACT: Marine birnaviruses (MABVs) infect a wide range of fish and shellfish, yet their mode of transmission is still unclear. To determine whether marine plankton serve as a vector for MABVs, we examined plankton collected from the Uwa Sea, Japan. The phytoplankton and zooplankton were collected monthly, at depths of 0 and 40 m, from May to November 2001. Detection of the MABV genome was carried out using 2-step PCR and virus isolation. Viral genome was detected in zooplankton collected at 0 m depth in September and at 40 m depth in November. The virus could not be isolated in the PCR-positive samples. These results suggest that zooplankton may act as a vector of MABVs, although the infective and/or accumulated virus titer in zooplankton was low.

KEY WORDS: Birnavirus · Plankton · Reservoir · Vector · Uwa Sea

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Published in DAO Vol. 54, No. 1 (2003) on March 17
Print ISSN: 0177-5103; Online ISSN: 1616-1580. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 2003