Results of Surveillance Studies of Infectious Fish Diseases in Freshwater Aquaculture of Ukraine

Abstract

Aim. To investigate the epizootic state of fi sheries in Ukraine; to study the biological specifi cities of viral and bacterial isolates of fi sh in freshwater aquaculture. Methods. The epizootic state of fi sheries was defi ned ac- cording to the surveillance plan for fi sheries, virological (biosampling of sensitive fi sh species, virus isolation on sensitive passaged cell cultures), serological (enzyme immunoassay, virus neutralization test using sensitive passaged cell cultures) and molecular-biological (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction − RTPCR) methods of investigation were used. The pathogenicity of the isolated bacteria was studied in the biosample. The identifi cation was performed using Bergey’s Manual. The express-identifi cation of bacteria was performed using the standardized test-system API 20E Bio Merieux (France). Results. The IPNV isolates of rainbow trout were fi rst isolated in the fi sheries of different forms of ownership in the western regions of Ukraine (Volyn, L’viv, Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi regions). It was demonstrated that different age groups of carp are infested with the virus in the fi sheries of L’viv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Kyiv, and Odesa regions which testifi es to a wide spread of the virus in Ukraine. Out of fi sh infectious diseases the red spot-like disease and the swim bladder infl ammation of carp, the diseases of young trout and sturgeon were detected in the investigated fi sheries of Ukraine. Conclusions. The epizootic data were used to estimate the condition of the fi sheries in Ukraine in terms of fi sh infectious diseases. An infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, new for Ukraine, was revealed. It was found to affect rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss , Walbaum, 1792) and the spread of SVCV in carp fi sheries was demonstrated. As for bacterial fi sh diseases, the decrease in the epizootic situation was described along with considerable extension of the range of species of bacterial pathogens of fi sh. Annual systematic monitoring and measures of preventing the introduction of the agents of infectious diseases are the guarantee of protection of the specialized fi sheries of Ukraine.