Minimal risk of tilapia lake virus transmission via frozen tilapia fillets

This study investigated the potential risks of frozen tilapia fillet as a source of TiLV transmission. It revealed that TiLV genomic RNA could be detected in tilapia fillet and the virus isolated from non ‐frozen and frozen fillets with clinical TiLV infection stored up to 28 days caused a cytopathic effect (CPE) formation in the susceptible cell line in vitro. However, frozen fillets from clinical TiLV infection stored for 90 and 120 days did not cause CPE in the susceptible cell line. Similarly , CPE was not observed in TiLV isolated from subclinically TiLV‐infected fish fillets. In addition, in vivo bioassay revealed that despite the presence of TiLV isolated from subclinically TiLV‐infected fillet stored at −20°C for 14 days, there was no evidence of TiLV disease in naïve red hy brid tilapia based on the absence of clinical signs and mortality and without the detection of TiLV genomic RNA using reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Collectively, these findings suggested minimal risk of transmission of TiLV via frozen tilapia fillets.

Source: Journal of Fish Diseases - November 23, 2018 Category: Zoology Authors: Worrayanee Thammatorn, Pattarasuda Rawiwan, Win Surachetpong Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research