Transmission of Spring Viraemia of Carp Virus Between Common Carp and Nile Tilapia by Cohabitation

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the possible transmission of spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) between common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) through cohabitating infected fish of one species with healthy fish of the counter species. The ability of infected O. niloticus to transmit the infection to nearby C. carpio for an extended period was also evaluated. The cohabitation ratio was one SVCV-challenged fish of one species to three healthy fish of the other species. Epithelioma Papulosum Cyprini cell line was utilised for virus isolation, while RT-PCR was used for virus confirmation. Results showed that the virus can be isolated from and confirmed in various organs of both C. carpio and O. niloticus cohabitated from the first day post cohabitation (DPC) and up to the 17th-day DPC from the gills, while up to the 35th DPC from the visceral organs and intestine. Additionally, the SVCV was successfully detected in the gills and visceral organs of C. carpio cohabitated with O. niloticus infected 14 or 21 days before cohabitation. Results indicated that SVCV can be transmitted from infected O. niloticus or C. carpio to nearby healthy fish of the counter species.