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Research Project: Integrated Research Approaches for Improving Production Efficiency in Rainbow Trout

Location: Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research

Title: Hiding in plain sight: evaluation and identification of novel viruses in wild fishes using varied molecular biology techniques [abstract]

Author
item RAINES, CLAYTON - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item ADAMS, CYNTHIA - University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine
item BARNETT, ZANETHIA - Us Forest Service (FS)
item BIGGS, MORGAN - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item BLAZER, VICKI - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item CARTER, DREW - West Virginia Division Of Natural Resources
item COLL, JOHN - Us Fish And Wildlife Service
item CORNMAN, SCOTT - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item FENSTERMACHER, CARLY - West Virginia Division Of Natural Resources
item GREER, JUSTIN - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item HOLT, CYNTHIA - Texas Parks And Wildlife
item Iwanowicz, Luke
item JONES, TOM - Vermont Agency For Natural Resources
item KEPPLINGER, BRANDON - West Virginia Division Of Natural Resources
item LOVY, JAN - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item MAZIK, PATRICIA - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item MICHAELS, BLAYK - Bass Pro Shops & Cabelas
item MOR, SUNIL - Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories
item MURRAY, BRENT - West Virginia University
item NG, TERRY FEI FAN - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) - United States
item ODENKIRK, JOHN - Wildlife Resources
item PHELPS, NICHOLAS - University Of Minnesota
item SCHAEFFER, WADE - Ball State University
item SIMMONS, SEAN - Angler'S Atlas
item SMITH, CHEYENNE - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item SMITH, GEOFFREY - Pennsylvania Game Commission, Bureau Of Wildlife Management
item VENTURELLI, PAUL - Ball State University
item WALSH, HEATHER - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item WELSH, AMY - West Virginia University
item YOUNG, KELSEY - Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratories

Submitted to: American Fishery Society (Fish Health Section) Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2024
Publication Date: 7/18/2024
Citation: Raines, C., Adams, C., Barnett, Z., Biggs, M., Blazer, V., Carter, D., Coll, J., Cornman, S., Fenstermacher, C., Greer, J., Holt, C., Iwanowicz, L.R., Jones, T., Kepplinger, B., Lovy, J., Mazik, P., Michaels, B., Mor, S., Murray, B., Ng, T., Odenkirk, J., Phelps, N., Schaeffer, W., Simmons, S., Smith, C., Smith, G., Venturelli, P., Walsh, H., Welsh, A., Young, K. 2024. Hiding in plain sight: evaluation and identification of novel viruses in wild fishes using varied molecular biology techniques [abstract]. American Fishery Society (Fish Health Section) Proceedings. 7 18.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wild fish health management often relies on identification and understanding of primary and secondary pathogens. For many significant fish species such as river herring (Alosa spp.), black basses (Micropterus spp.), and white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) numerous bacterial pathogens have been described, yet there is a paucity of viral research. However, this likely reflects the black-box containing the universe of uncharacterized viruses of these hosts rather than an indication of a scarcity of primary viral pathogens. Advances in discovery and diagnostic capabilities using “next generation sequencing (NGS)”, coupled with de novo assembly approaches, have augmented surveillance efforts. Subsequently this has led to the discovery of numerous novel viruses which may be present in fish without any clinical signs. PCR methods or conventional culture methods are extremely effective for post hoc detection of known pathogens, but no consistent methodology has been ascribed for detection of novel pathogens or in cases of mixed infections. Furthermore, few commercially available cell lines are permissive to viruses of non-model organisms. Accepting massively-parallel sequencing approaches as standard workflows can provide a contemporary approach to discover the diverse and otherwise unculturable viruses that affect fish species of management interest. It can also serve as a foundational catalyst to supplement more established virus detection methods. This presentation will focus on a few specific applications of molecular virology to evaluate potentially emerging pathogens which are generally understudied and of unknown significance to fish health. We will detail methodology used to identify and detect a novel hepadnavirus from clinically normal alewives (A. pseudoharengus), novel adomaviruses and a nackednavirus from largemouth bass (M. salmoides), as well as assessments of hepadnavirus and hepacivirus of white sucker. Additionally, results from less traditional approaches including gene expression analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, and crowd-sourced data collection will be presented. Staying ahead of the cutting edge of disease research creates an opportunity to explore a new frontier of host-pathogen relationships and microbes associated with changing environments.