Studies on viral diseases of Japanese fishes. VII. A rhabdovirus isolated from European eel, Anguilla anguilla.

The authors carried out virological examination of European elvers, Anguilla anguilla imported form France to Japan with the intention of using it for pond culture. All inoculants prepared from the first six groups of elvers immediately after their arrival in Japan and before distribution to culture ponds showed CPE in RTG-2 cells within 7 days at 15°C afterinoculation. And one inoculant from the second five samples collected prom eel-ponds showed it within the same number of days. The CPE observed in inoculated RTG-2 cells consisted of spherical pyknosis and subsequent cytoplasmic granulation. However, marginal hyper-chromatosis of nuclear membranes did not occur. This isolant had a stable infectivity of 106.1TCID50/ml. Thus far it has been passed 8 times. Negative-stained electron micrographs showed this virus to be a rhabdovirus having the size of 90-95 nm×170-175nm. Neutralization tests with specific antisera proved that this agent is not VHSV, SVCV or IHNY. Its pathogenicity to fisheeins to be studied.