Aetiologic Agents of Fry Mortality Syndrome in the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) in Iran
An investigation was conducted in order to find out the etiological factors of Fry Mortality Syndrome (FMS) that causes serious economical loss in rainbow trout farms in Iran. In recent years obscure fry mortalities have been observed in many hatchery farms in Iran. It was reported that the rate...
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Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English English |
Published: |
2008
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Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/7204/1/FPV%202008%2016A.pdf |
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Summary: | An investigation was conducted in order to find out the etiological factors of Fry
Mortality Syndrome (FMS) that causes serious economical loss in rainbow trout
farms in Iran. In recent years obscure fry mortalities have been observed in many
hatchery farms in Iran. It was reported that the rate of fry and juvenile mortality
increased dramatically in some provinces e.g. 23 million fry were produced in
hatchery centers of Chahar Mohal Bakhtiary province in 2002 but nearly 21 million
fry (91.3%) in different stages of growth died before distribution to farmers. Also
close to 23 million fry were produced in Mazandaran province, but 12 million fry
equivalent to 52.12% of total fry production died mysteriously.This investigation
was carried out with objectives of detecting and confirming the main causative agent
that contribute to the occurrence of Fry Mortality Syndrome in Iran. During 32
months, from October of 2001 until May of 2004, 52 different hatchery centers and
rearing farms of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) which were located in Tehran, Mazandaran, Guilan, Fras, Markazi, Kerman and Kohkiloyeh Boyerahmad
provinces, were visited and various samples from affected farms were collected.
Collected samples consisted of ovarian fluid, milts, eggs, eyed-eggs, larvae, fry < 1 g
and 1-3 g as well as internal organs from adult fishes. A total of 2,107 samples were
collected from farms in six provinces and were examined by five methods such as
virology (410 samples), bacteriology (899 samples), serology (consisted of IFAT:
392 samples and ELISA: 44 samples), histopathology (160 samples) and hematology
(202 samples). Some of the mentioned approaches such as fish cell culture, ELISA
and IFAT techniques were set-up and optimized for the first time in Iran.
The clinical signs of suspected fishes were darkening, exophthalmia, ascites,
abnormal swimming and whirling. From 410 samples that of tissues inoculated on to
cell cultures two samples showed CPE in EPC and BF-2 cell lines which were
inoculated with ovarian fluid from broodstock obtained from hatchery farms in
Mazandaran province. The CPE was similar to IHN virus induced. The CPE foci
revealed dying cells congegrated as grape-like clusters (ballony performance with
cytolysis).TEM findings in infected cells showed bullet-shaped particles having sizes
of 130-180 nm in length and 65-70 nm in diameter. From the virion morphology it
was suggested that observed particles were similar to Rhabdovirus. FAT examination
revealed that all samples were examined with MAbs and PAbs against IPNV and
VHSV were negative. On the other hand, two samples were positive when examined
with MAbs and PAbs against IHNV. These smears were originated from samples
that had showed CPE in EPC and BF-2 cell lines and bullet shaped particles in
electron microscopy. ELISA findings (cut-off value, optical density and detectionlevel
percentage) showed that IHNV had higher percentage of detection with 23.25% in comparison with other relevant viral diseases i.e. IPNV with 7.31% and VHSV
with 14.29%. Results of histopathological study on the sampled fry revealed that the
target tissues in the kidney, liver, spleen, hepatopancreas, intestine and gills showed
different degree of tissue changes beginning from cell degeneration to complete
necrosis. There were also renal blood vessels congestion, marked degenerative
changes in posterior kidney with tubular necrosis and interstitial hematopoeitic tissue
degeneration. In addition, interstitial degeneration and oedema in anterior portion of
kidney, focal necrosis in the tubular area and several stages of cell necrosis in the
hematopoeitic tissue were the most important histopathological changes seen in
kidney tissues examined. Hepatopancreatic tissues also revealed marked changes
such as congestion, atrophy and necrosis of pancreatic acinar cells and Islets of
Langerhans. Spleen samples revealed spleenic congestion, severe necrosis,
hemosiderosis and increased presence of melanomacrophage centers (MMC). Gills
tissue in sampled fry showed hyperplasia, clubbing and fusion of lamellae.
Hematological findings revealed that total white blood cell count, i.e. lymphocyte
and neutrophil in investigated fish showed significant increased compared with the
control fish (p< 0.05). On the contrary, all the samples showed a decreased in RBC,
Hb and HCT values. In addition, MCHC and total protein plasma showed a marked
decreased (p<0.05). In the blood serum components analysis, similarly it was
revealed LDH and AST showed a significant decreased (p<0.05).
In conclusion, with marked clinical signs, cell culture observation and TEM
findings, ELISA and IFAT results, histopathology and hematological findings (blood
and biochemical parameters) seen in the current investigation lead to possibility of a
viral disease agent infection as the cause of fry mortality syndrome in the hatchery and rearing trout farms in Iran. From findings of the current study, it is concluded
that IHN-like virus could be most probable etiologic of fry mortality syndrome in
Iran.
Key words: Fry Mortality Syndrome, Rainbow trout, Cell culture, TEM, ELISA,
IFAT, Histopathology, Hematology, IHNV, IPNV, VHSV, Iran |
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