According to experts at the Aquatic Animal Health Program at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), which causes fatal anemia and hemorrhaging in many fish species, was discovered in upstate New York. It poses no threat to humans.

In May 2006, the researchers, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), isolated the virus in round gobies that died in a massive fish kill in the St. Lawrence River and in Irondequoit Bay, which is on the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Rochester, N.Y. VHSV was also found in a muskellunge from the St. Lawrence River in May.

VHSV is classified as a reportable disease by the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE), which means it must be reported to OIE if detected. The international agency usually imposes restrictions on any host country with VHSV to prevent fish from being moved to other areas and countries.

"If you think of VHSV, you think of the most serious disease of freshwater rainbow trout in Europe," said Paul Bowser, Cornell professor of aquatic animal medicine, noting that the virus does not currently pose as great a threat in North America. "Right now, it's a matter of trying to collect as much information and as fast as possible so we can to notify the DEC so they can make management decisions."

Cornell's role is to diagnose and research the disease for the state agency. Bowser and colleagues are trying to develop a rapid diagnostic test, called a PCR (polymerase chain reaction), which would amplify and detect small amounts of viral DNA or RNA in a blood or tissue sample.

Although no management decisions have yet been made, the DEC could recommend that boaters clean their boats before traveling from one body of water to another and not d
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Contact: Sabina Lee
ssl37@cornell.edu
607-255-3024
Cornell University News Service
19-Jun-2006