An overview of Betanodavirus and perspective of Viral Nervous Necrosis (VNN) disease in Iranian southern waters

The Persian Gulf and its shores are important and strategic areas with a large variety of fish species. Betanodavirus infection is known to be a serious threat to susceptible fish and causing economic damages to the fisheries and fishing industry. Concerning to isolation and confirmation of VNN virus in the Mullet fish (Chelon aurata and C. saliens) in the Caspian Sea and its damages on Mullet stock, probably transmission of VNN could be hazardous in marine fish industry such as cage culture. So, the aim of this article was to characterize the distribution of the Betanodavirus in Iranian southern waters and its transmission. Finally, the issues of the transmission of Betanodavirus infection between the wild and farmed fish of different regions of the Persian Gulf is discussed. The probability of the emergence of viral epidemics and even new and virus-resistant hosts has been investigated whereby the monitoring and surveillance program for tracing the disease and the detection of the Betanodavirus presence is required before clinical signs occur in the near future. Meanwhile, screening of various species of susceptible fish and the identification of the viral carriers as a strategic approach is recommended. In fact, Eco- epidemiological studies are needed and all efforts should be focused on control and prevention of probably virus contamination in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea waters as one of the strategic points in the world.