Induction of nodavirus disease in seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, using different infection models

The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of juvenile and adult seabass, which are generally thought to be refractory to nodavirus. Moreover, preliminary immunological studies were performed to examine the immune response of adult seabass. Successful transmission of the disease was experimentally demonstrated in juvenile and adult seabass as ascertained by the presence of the clinical signs of the disease, re-isolation of the virus in the SSN-1 cell line and subsequent confirmation by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Bigger seabass not only developed the clinical disease but also suffered mortalities. Serum neutralisation titres were considered low in this study.