A Survey of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in Turkey

Existence of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) has been recently reported in Turkey. A total of 5967 marine and freshwater fish were sampled to detect VHSV between 2007 and 2009 in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Of the 5967 fish, five fish tested positive by PCR reactions of tissue filtrates and supernatants of cell cultures showing CPE indicated by a specific 587 bp fragments from the glycoprotein (G) gene of VHSV. All the VHSV positive fish were turbots and none of the other fish species was VHSV positive. The nucleotide sequences among five isolates had shown 96% to 99% homology. In the phylogenetic study, all the new isolates were genogroup 1e. In this study, it was also discovered that an IPNV-VHSV mixed infected wild turbot.