The first report of carp edema virus disease in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Carp edema virus disease, caused by the Carp Edema Virus (CEV), is an emerging disease affecting common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ). During early April 2023, Rama Lake in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) experienced significant daily mortalities of wild common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ), predominantly affecting adult specimens. Despite the presence of other fish species in the lake, the mortality was exclusively observed in the common carp. The sample of 10 moribund fish was caught in a landing net and transported on ice to the Laboratory for Aquaculture of the Veterinary Institute Sarajevo. In order to examine possible viral aetiology, tissue samples were collected and DNA was extracted using standard procedures. CEV was detected by real-time PCR. All samples were real-time PCR negative for the presence of KHV and SVCV. In this study, we describe the first detection of CEVD caused by carp edema virus in wild carp in Bosnia and Herzegovina.