USFWS FISH DISEASE SURVEILLANCE
IN THE NORTHEAST
John CollLamar Fish Health Center
LAMAR FISH HEALTH CENTER
Based on the 2001 numbers, ASA's economic analysis lays out the $116 billion worth of benefits sport fishing brings to our local, state and national economies.
The report also details how forty-five million American’s spent more than $42 billion on fishing tackle, trips and related services in 2001 with each angler spending an average of $1,046 on fishing.
In addition, more than one million jobs are related to sport fishing, accounting for more than $30 billion in wages.
While these numbers are impressive, what resonates through all the facts and figures is fishing’s tremendous importance to our way of life and livelihood.
The Department of Commerce recently established an aquaculture policy to promote the development of a highly competitive and sustainable aquaculture industry. The objectives of this 1999 policy include forecast increases in production value from the current US$900 million to
US$5 billion by the year 2025, and an increase in aquaculture employment from 180 000 to 600 000 people.
Fish are regarded as sentinel species,and their status is often used as a measure of ecosystem health
As sentinel species,their health is a key monitoring factor; and as living organisms they are impacted by their environment, and susceptible to diseases.
DISEASE
disease /dis·ease/ (dĭ-zēz´) any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any body part, organ, or system that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms and signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or
unknown.
Infectious
Bacterial
Environmental
ParasiticViral
Opportunistic
Exotic
Endemic
ObligateEmergingEmergency
Diseases can have an effect at the population level
A pathogen that has been newly introduced can have devastating effects.
Imperiled populations, particularly those under stress from a suboptimal environment, can be more vulnerable to pathogens
Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium) & trematode parasite (Ribeiroia) contribute to global decline of amphibians
Risk of amplification and distribution of pathogens to culture facilities and watersheds through gametes
ATLANTIC SALMON RESTORATION/RECOVERY PROGRAMS
Wild ATS adults captured during freshwater spawning migration for use as broodstock
ISAV INFECTIOUS SALMON ANEMIA VIRUS 1984 - First diagnosed in Norway1996 – Bay of Fundy, Canada1998 – Scotland1999 – Chile2000 – Faroe Islands2001 – Maine, USA
ControlSurveillanceDepopulation/ indemnificationZone FallowingVaccination
ISA virus in Wild Atlantic salmon
2001 RT-PCR assay of bloodMore sensitive Quantitative RT-PCR detected a handful in 2009 and 2010 from Penobscot sea runs
1 detected in Merrimack sea run in 2010
Not yet detected in Connecticut River
ISAV DETECTION AND MANAGEMENTDNA Sequence analysis identified non-pathogenic (HPRO) genotype found to be carried by wild ATS Possible mutation of HPRO to pathogenic strain in captivity causes risk to ATS programsIndividual fish identified as positive either released back into rivers, or culled from population before spawning.
IPNV - INFECTIOUS PANCREATIC NECROSIS VIRUS
Wide host and geographical rangeIn salmonids, clinical disease effects fry and fingerlings
Mortality can approach 100%Survivors become asymptomatic carriers to adulthood
Horizontal transmission in wild can lead to adult carriersVertical transmission occurs despite egg disinfection
IPN virus in Wild Atlantic salmonDetected in Connecticut River sea run ovarian fluid samples 2007No clinical diseaseAll Ct. R. sea run progeny at risk …putting incubation facilities at riskAll sea run eggs destroyed
Strain 11 AY026347
Strain 137 AF343570
Strain 93 AY026346
Buhl AF343573
Strain 114 AY026348
Strain Reno AY026345
Strain VR299 AF343572
Jasper 001915
Jasper AF342735
Dry Mills AF343571
W Buxton AF342727
Canada 3 AF342734
Canada 2 AF342733
Conn River ATS 2007
Canada 1 AF342732
Strain ASV AY026490
Tellina AF342731
Japan Y Tascites AB006783
Strain Ab AF342729
Strain CV-HB1 AY026489
Strain E1S AY026487
Strain EEV AY026486
Strain PV AY026488
Strain SP AF342728
Strain Fr10 AY026482
Strain Fr21 AY026483
Strain OV2 AY026484
Strain DPL AY026485
Strain He AF342730
81
99
99
89
89
23
67
87
67
35
98
51
83
93
69
64
78
92
66
57
29
26
26
88
0.01
Unique IPNV genotype•Canada 4?
•Connecticut River 1?
no IPNV detected since 2007
IPNV virus in Region 5 Great Lakes lake trout programDetected in production lots at Allegheny NFH in 2005, associated with clinical diseaseGreat Lakes “Restricted Disease”, facility depopulated Hatchery construction: renovation and Biosecurity
Nucleospora salmonis(Previously Enterocytozoon)
Microsporidian (intracellular) parasite No evidence vertical transmission occurs Erratic swimming, Dark coloration,
Exopthalmia, Pale gills, Increased mortalities - mild in rainbow trout,
severe in Atlantic salmon ??? lake trout ???
Issue in Northeast? N. salmonis was detected by nested
PCR in Region 3 LAT that experienced mortalities (no histology was performed)
Concern about LAT going from R3 to R5 (White River NFH)
R3 conducted nPCR testing on other sites and determined that it was “ubiquitous”
Is it ubiquitous in R5????
Testing of 400 samples (ovarian fluids and kidney) from 12 Northeast hatcheries and 8 wild waters negative for parasite by optimized nPCR and QPCR
6 Maine Hatcheries
What Next? UC Davis received samples from R3
for sequencing have not yet reported success in
sequencing or confirming N. salmonis. R5 should continue to avoid fish
from R3 sources More sampling – costly but will
conduct additional limited sampling until UC Davis’ report
Hatchery vs Natural
USFWS sponsored program that examines free-ranging fish to better understand the national distribution of fish pathogens.
An associated database stores, compiles, and permits queries of information gathered during fish examinations.
The National Wild Fish Health Survey
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey
How Are Fish Collected?
Through a variety of partnerships - including Tribal, State, non-profit groups, public utilities, and other federal agencies
Collected via traps, electrofishing, hook and line, netting (fyke, gill, seine) with appropriate permits
Laboratory Protocols and Procedures
All samples are required to be tested using a valid:Screening MethodConfirmation Method
What Happens to the Results? Results entered into a
database at the local level.
Partners aiding in collection receive reports
Exported to National Database
Information within Database can be queried by resource partners and others
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey/database.htm
Accessing the current NWFHS Database
Summary tables. USGS hydrologic unit code
(HUC) maps. Dot distribution relief maps
with or without political features.
Current web interface queries produce results displayed 3 ways…
Basic Interface
Basic Interface
Example report
Integration/Standardization
Standardized taxonomic information
Standardized input of named geographic locations, e.g. waterbodies
Links water-related data to the NHD surface water drainage network (traceouts)
FISH DISEASE CASES IN THE NATURAL SETTING
Fish killsSurveillance
Regulatory Actions
Exotic/Introduced Pathogens Emerging Disease Organisms
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is a severe disease of freshwater and marine fish.
Four(4) genetically different types of VHS Genotypes I, II, and III are mainly found in
Europe and Asia (rainbow trout). Genotype IV (North American strain)
East and West coasts of North America (IVa) Great Lakes watershed (IVb).
To date, VHS has not been found in aquaculture facilities in the Great Lakes
Can affect a number of fish species with potential for significant mortality
Viral Hemorrhagic SepticemiaVHSv-IVb
VHSv-IVb 2003
VHSv-IVb 2005
Findings From the NWFHS
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia First Isolation of VHSv-IVb
in Lake Erie freshwater drum and yellow perch in spring 2006.
Follow-up sampling in the spring of 2006 of 12 species from the western and central basin of Lake Erie, isolating the virus from 10 of the species sampled.
VHSv-IVb 2006
VHSv-IVb 2007
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey
VHS continued In June 2008, in
collaboration with Ohio Division of Wildlife, LaCrosse FHC isolated VHS from a muskellunge in the Clear Fork Reservoir (Ohio River drainage)
This isolation was the first outside of the Great Lakes Basin
Photo by Wayne Davis
VHSv-IVb 2008
Spring viremia of carp (SVC)
Spring viremia of carp (SVC) is a contagious viral disease mainly seen in farmed carp and related species.
Outbreaks can cause substantial economic losses.
Since 2002, several SVC outbreaks have been reported in U.S. (farmed and wild species affected)
Spring Viremia of Carp Virus Surveillance
Common Carp
Recent NWFHS Findings - SVCV Lamar FHC: Isolated
Spring Viremia of Carp Virus (SVCv) from Bluegill and Largemouth Bass collected from the Pleasant Hill Reservoir, OH.
No clinical disease reported in these events.
First report of SVCv from centrarchids.
NWFHS Sampling Spring Viremia of Carp Virus (SVCv) : 6-Digit HUCs
Map Provided by Josh Bradley
New Diseaseor
New Surveillance ?
In Conclusion The National Wild Fish
Survey’s purpose is to determine the distribution of certain fish pathogens
As the environment changes, the relationship between host and pathogen will change
The first step in documenting climate change is monitoring
The database is critical for analysis of the information collected
Steps in documenting effects of global climate change
Baseline information
Determine changes to baseline
Evaluate factors that may contribute to changes
Eliminate changes due to other factors
Other Utilities of the Survey
New aquareovirus from rainbow smelt in New Hampshire
Wild stocks as broodstocks in captive propagation programs
Lake sturgeon-WisconsinNorthern Pike – WisconsinAmerican shad – eggs to China, from NWBrown trout – Connecticut
Lamprey relocationsPacific re-introductions in Columbia and
WilliametteSea (Atlantic) sterile male program in
Great Lakes
Wild fish in other propagation programsLMB, SMB, Walleye as host species for
Endangered mussels
Fish passage
THE NATIONAL WILD FISH HEALTH SURVEY
A tool you can incorporate into ALL your fishery projects
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey/
WebsitesNWHFS:
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey/
About Fish Health Centers:
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey/about/
VHSV:
http://www.focusonfishhealth.org/
http://www.fws.gov/wildfishsurvey