Salmonid alphaviruses (SAVs), which include the aetiological agents of salmon pancreas disease (SPD) in farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. and sleeping disease (SD) in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), are significant viral pathogens of European salmonid aquaculture. SAV is horizontally transmitted and the virus can survive for extended periods in seawater. A lack of convincing evidence for vertical transmission coupled to the fact that the SPD virus (SPDV) occurs in historically infected sites irrespective of fallow period duration suggests that a substantial reservoir of infection exists in the marine environment. We used a highly sensitive real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting a region of the SAV nsP1 gene to screen wild marine fish species for the presence of SAV in an attempt to identify such a potential reservoir. Screened fish species were caught in the vicinity of aquaculture activity in an area with a previous history of SAV infection (Shetland Isles, Scotland). SAV RNA was detected in internal organs (kidney and heart) from the flatfish species common dab Limanda limanda, long rough dab Hippoglossoides platessoides, and plaice Pleuronectes platessa. Based on these findings, sampling was extended to an area remote from aquaculture activity (Stonehaven Bay, NE coast of Scotland) from where heart tissues obtained from common dab also tested positive. While no virus could be cultivated from these samples, qPCR detections were shown to be SAV-specific by sequencing of an alternative gene region (E2) to that targeted by the qPCR assay. Analysis of these nucleotide sequences revealed minor differences to those previously obtained from farmed salmon, and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of an E2 dataset demonstrated a subtype V-like sequence.

Juvenile pathogen-free turbot were infected with a viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) isolate recovered from turbot cultivated on the island of Gigha, West Scotland. Mortality of 100% was recorded in fish lnfected via the intra-peritonea1 (i.p.) route. Horizontal transmission of VHSV in sea water was demonstrated by cohabitation of naive fish with i.p. infected fish at a ratio of 1:l. The total cumulative average mortality in cohabiting fish was 60% by 60 d post-infection. Turbot infected via an immersion route exhibited a cumulative average mortality of 71 % by the end of the experiment. VHSV identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was recovered from both organ (kidney and spleen) and brain samples of individual fish that died following infection by all experimental routes. These findings pose significant implications regarding the persistence of VHSV and its role in limiting natural populations of marine fish species. In addition, the establishment of infection models for the transmission of VHSV in sea water is of fundamental importance to the development of anti-VHSV vaccines in important commercial species such as turbot.

The structure-activity relationships of a series of compounds related to the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor (NNRTI) oxathiin carboxanilide have been described (R. W. Buckheit, Jr., T. L. Kinjerski, V. Fliakas-Boltz, J. D. Russell, T. L. Stup, L. A. Pallansch, W. G. Brouwer, D. C. Dao, W. A. Harrison, R. J. Schultz, J. P. Bader, and S. S. Yang, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 39:2718-2727, 1996). From these studies, the furanyl-containing analog UC10 was identified as the most potent inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication and a promising candidate for further development. Three new UC analogs (UC040, UC82, and UC781) have been determined to inhibit laboratory-derived and low-passage-number, primary virus isolates at low nanomolar concentrations in both established and fresh human cells. Each of the compounds synergistically interacted with the nucleoside analogs zidovudine, dideoxyinosine, dideoxycytosine, and lamivudine to inhibit HIV-1 replication. As a group, the UC compounds were found to be less active against viruses with the L100I, K103N, and Y181C amino acid changes in the RT and, upon in vitro selection, yielded resistant virus with the Y181C mutation in the RT. The most potent of the three new compounds, UC781, contains a furanyl side chain, similar to UC10, but differs in having an extended ether side chain instead of an oxime chain. The broad therapeutic index of UC781 (>62,000) resulted in effective inhibition of NNRTI-resistant virus isolates at high nanomolar concentrations. Furthermore, UC781 and the NNRTI costatolide were able to synergistically inhibit HIV-1 replication when used in combination, suggesting that UC781 may interact with the RT differently than the other UC analogs. The favorable anti-HIV properties of the UC compounds suggest they should be considered for further clinical development.

A database has been created, http://www.FishPathogens.eu, with the aim of providing a single repository for collating important information on significant pathogens of aquaculture, relevant to their control and management. This database will be developed, maintained and managed as part of the European Community Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases function. This concept has been initially developed for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus and will be extended in future to include information on other significant aquaculture pathogens. Information included for each isolate comprises sequence, geographical origin, host origin and useful key literature. Various search mechanisms make it easy to find specific groups of isolates. Search results can be presented in several different ways including table‐based, map‐based and graph‐based outputs. When retrieving sequences, the user is given freedom to obtain data from any selected part of the genome of interest. The output of the sequence search can be readily retrieved as a FASTA file ready to be imported into a sequence alignment tool of choice, facilitating further molecular epidemiological study.

A European strain of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) isolated from wild-caught cod Gadus morhua (H16/7/95) was shown to cause clinical dlsease and mortality in excess of 80% in juvenile Atlantic cod when administered by the intra-peritonea1 (i.p.) route. No virus was recovered from cod cohabiting with experimentally infected fish at a ratio of 1:1, and no VHSV-associated mortality was demonstrated following immersion infection. External signs of disease in cod were the presence of exophthalmia and ascites. Virus was identified as VHSV by enzyme-linked irnmunosorbent assay (ELISA) and was recovered from both brain and organ pools (kidney, liver and spleen) of 100% of i.p. infected cod mortalities. Virus was also detected using an indirect irnmunofluorescence test on tissue imprints of kidney, liver, spleen and brain taken from moribund fish. The fact that cod were not susceptible to VHSV following waterborne exposure raises important questions surrounding the propagation, maintenance and impact of a naturally occurring reservoir of virus in the marine environment KEY WORDS: Viral haemorrhaqc septicaenua virus . VHSV .