Effect of blood removal protocol and superchilling on quality parameters of prerigor filleted farmed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).

Unlabelled: A total of 40 farmed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were in 2 groups either fillet directly after stunning and spray washed or produced into fillets according to traditional slaughter methods including exsanguination for 30 min, gutting and washing. Both groups were either stored superchilled or traditionally on ice. After 7 d postmortem color (CIE L*, a*, b*) and fillet shrinkage was measured by computer imaging along with drip loss and texture hardness.

Detection of nodavirus in seawater from rearing facilities for Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus larvae.

We used (1) ultracentrifugation followed by RT-PCR and (2) real-time RT-PCR to detect and quantify nodaviruses in seawater in which Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus larvae/fry had been held at rearing facilities. Evaluated against in vitro propagated viruses, the viral concentration corresponded to 1.6 x 10(4) TCID50 (50% tissue culture infectious dose) ml(-1).

Detection of infectious salmon anaemia virus by real-time nucleic acid sequence based amplification.

We have developed a real-time nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA) procedure for detection of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV). Primers were designed to target a 124 nucleotide region of ISAV genome segment 8. Amplification products were detected in real-time with a molecular beacon (carboxyfluorescin [FAM]-labelled and methyl-red quenched) that recognised an internal region of the target amplicon.

Protection against Atlantic halibut nodavirus in turbot is induced by recombinant capsid protein vaccination but not following DNA vaccination.

Fish nodaviruses (betanodaviruses) are small, non-enveloped icosahedral single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses that can cause viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) in a number of cultured marine teleost species, including Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus). A recombinant protein vaccine and a DNA vaccine were produced, based on the same capsid-encoding region of the Atlantic halibut nodavirus (AHNV) genome, and tested for protection in juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Vaccine efficacy was demonstrated in the fish vaccinated with recombinant capsid protein but not in the DNA-vaccinated fish, despite the fact that in vivo expression of the DNA vaccine-encoded antigen was confirmed by RNA in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry.

A DNA vaccine directed against a rainbow trout rhabdovirus induces early protection against a nodavirus challenge in turbot.

A DNA vaccine encoding the envelope glycoprotein from a fish rhabdovirus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), has previously been shown to induce both early and long time protection against the virus in rainbow trout. Challenge experiments have revealed that the immunity established shortly after vaccination is cross-protective against heterologous fish rhabdoviruses. In this study, we show that the DNA vaccine encoding the VHSV glycoprotein also induces early protection against a non-enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the Nodavirus family, the Atlantic halibut nodavirus (AHNV).