Isolamento e caratterizzazione genetica di Betanodavirus da specie ittiche selvatiche pescate nel Mar Adriatico

Betanodavirus infection is responsible of mortality and economic losses in European sea bass farm in the Mediterranean Sea. Symptoms generally are not observed in wild fish, despite infection was detected in several species. Interspecies transmission are possible and sub clinically infected carrier are suspected in wild fish. Betanodavirus infection was investigated in many fish species collected from fish market of Cesenatico. 11.9% of samples were positive for Betanodavirus isolation. Six new fish species and four previously signalised species were evidenced infected. Viruses isolated were genetically characterized by RT-PCR and sequencing. Two viral strains were evidenced. High genetic identity was evidenced for both strains with viruses isolated from European sea bass during outbreaks with mortality. The spreading of the same strains in both wild and farmed fish could be potentially responsible for interspecies transmission and need to be monitored by virus detection and characterization.