Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
DAO is a hybrid research journal on all aspects of disease phenomena in aquatic organisms.
Impact Factor1.2 (JCR 2025 release)
Article Acceptance Rate47.2% (2024)
Average Time in Review183 days (2024)
Total Annual Downloads569.274 (2025)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02761
copiedNew disease records for hatchery-reared sturgeon. I. Expansion of frog virus 3 host range into Scaphirhynchus albus
- Thomas B. Waltzek
- D. L Miller
- Matthew J. Gray
- Bruce Drecktrah
- Jeffrey T. Briggler
- Beth MacConnell
- Crystal Hudson
- Lacey Hopper
- John Friary
- Susan C. Yun
- Kirsten V. Malm
- E. Scott Weber
- Ronald P. Hedrick
ABSTRACT: In 2009, juvenile pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus, reared at the Blind Pony State Fish Hatchery (Missouri, USA) to replenish dwindling wild stocks, experienced mass mortality. Histological examination revealed extensive necrosis of the haematopoietic tissues, and a virus was isolated from affected organs in cell culture and then observed by electron microscopy. Experimental infection studies revealed that the virus is highly pathogenic to juvenile pallid sturgeon, one of several species of sturgeon currently listed as Endangered. The DNA sequence of the full length major capsid protein gene of the virus was identical to that of the species Frog virus 3 (FV3), the type species for the genus Ranavirus, originally isolated from northern leopard frog Lithobates pipiens. Although FV3 infections and epizootics in amphibians and reptiles are well documented, there is only 1 prior report of a natural infection of FV3 in fish. Our results illustrate the broad potential host range for FV3, with the known potential to cause significant mortality in poikilothermic vertebrates across 3 taxonomic classes including bony fishes, anuran and caudate amphibians, and squamate and testudine reptiles.
KEYWORDS
Thomas B. Waltzek (Corresponding Author)
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
D. L Miller (Co-author)
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Matthew J. Gray (Co-author)
- Center for Wildlife Health, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Bruce Drecktrah (Co-author)
- Blind Pony State Fish Hatchery, Missouri Department of Conservation, Sweet Springs, MO 65351, USA
Jeffrey T. Briggler (Co-author)
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO 65109, USA
Beth MacConnell (Co-author)
- Headwaters Fish Pathology, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
Crystal Hudson (Co-author)
- Bozeman Fish Health Center, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
Lacey Hopper (Co-author)
- Bozeman Fish Health Center, Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
John Friary (Co-author)
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Susan C. Yun (Co-author)
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Kirsten V. Malm (Co-author)
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
E. Scott Weber (Co-author)
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Ronald P. Hedrick (Co-author)