KCOTA

Spring Viremia of Carp's Greatest Vectors

 
PATHWAYS/HISTORY: First described in a 1971 diagnosis in Yugoslavia, this disease has also been identified in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. In 2002, Rhabdovirus carpio was first reported in U.S. waters at a North Carolina koi hatchery. Unfortunately, there is evidence that koi had been distributed from this hatchery to most of the 48 contiguous states before being confirmed with SVC. The first common carp die-off of wild fish that tested positive for SVC occurred in 2002 at Cedar Lake, Wisconsin. In 2004, the virus was found in common carp from Missouri and Washington. Perhaps most threatening to Indiana, the virus was found in common carp caught from the Cal-Sag Channel near Calumet, Illinois in 2003. While there was no carp mortality observed, the fish were carriers of Rhabdovirus carpio. This waterway is just a few miles from extreme northwest Indiana. Infected carp are free to swim from the Cal-Sag Channel, into Lake Michigan, and finally enter Indiana’s tributaries of Lake Michigan.
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/fish/ais/spring.htm


Aquatic Invasive Species and Water Gardening
"Koi and goldfish released intentionally or accidently from water gardens have established viable population in many of Minnesota's lakes. The number of lakes with surviving goldfish or koi populations is not known for sure, but in many lakes you can see schools of the gold-colored invaders and children often catch them while fishing for sunnies."
http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/downloads/ais_wg_script.pdf


"Horizontal transmission of the disease from infected fish is via feces and possibly in the urine and gill mucus. Reservoir host include sick fish and fish that have survived outbreaks of the disease. In addition to carp, other cultured and wild fish may serve as reservoir hosts. Vertical transmission is thought to be possible as the virus has been found in ovarian fluidsbut lack of outbreaks in fry and fingerlings suggests that this might not be an important route of transmission. Parasites like the carp louse (Argulus foliaceaus) and the leech (Pisciola geometra) have been shown to be passive vectors while mechanical vectors (birds or mechanical equipment) can also cause problems since the SVCV can maintain infectivity for a long time in water or mud."
http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/lib/agriculture/gisfiles/PA_AISMP.pdf