Isolation, Identification and Characterization of a Novel Megalocytivirus from Cultured Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) from Southern California, USA.

ABSTRACT: In spring 2019, diseased four-month-old tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) from an aquaculture farm in Southern California, USA were received for diagnostic evaluation with signs of lethargy, anorexia, abnormal swimming, and low-level mortalities. At necropsy, non-specific external lesions were noted including fin erosion, cutaneous melanosis, gill pallor, and coelomic distension. Internal changes included ascites, hepatomegaly, renomegaly, splenomegaly, and multifocal yellow-white nodules in the spleen and kidney. Cultures of spleen and kidney produced bacterial colonies identified as Francisella orientalis. Homogenized samples of gill, brain, liver, spleen, and kidney inoculated onto Mozambique tilapia brain cells (OmB) developed cytopathic effects, characterized by rounding of cel

SUBMITTER: Shahin K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8697977 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature