Immune Response of Senegalese Sole against Betanodavirus Mutants with Modified Virulence.

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV), genus , the etiological agent of the viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER), presents a genome with two positive-sense single-stranded RNA segments. Striped jack nervous necrosis virus (SJNNV) and red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV), together with reassortants RGNNV/SJNNV, are the betanodaviruses predominantly isolated in Southern Europe. An RGNNV/SJNNV reassortant isolated from Senegalese sole (wt160) causes high mortalities in this fish species.

Distribution of red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) antigens in nervous and non-nervous organs of European seabass(Dicentrarchus labrax) during the course of an experimental challenge.

The distribution of red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) antigens was examined by immunohistochemistry in the nervous and non-nervous organs of juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) during the course of an intramuscular infection. Histological changes resulting from the infection were evaluated from 3 days to 2 months post-infection. The specific antibody response was also studied 2 months post-challenge.

Tissue distribution of Red Spotted Grouper Nervous Necrosis Virus (RGNNV) genome in experimentally infected juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax).

The distribution of viral genome in the tissues of juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) during the course of a Red Spotted Grouper Nervous Necrosis Virus (RGNNV) infection has not yet been described. The present study addresses this and indicates which target organs may be involved in viral replication. This information should enable more accurate detection of virus in asymptomatic carriers, and in turn help to control the spread of the disease.