Susceptibility of Individual Fish Species to Koi Herpes Viral Disease - a research study

Koi herpes viral disease (hereinafter referred to as "KHVD") is a dangerous viral disease, outbreak of which was recorded in Israel in 1998 for the first time. Due to exhibitions and international fish trade it spread almost to the whole world in the course of the next 17 years and it caused a loss of many tonnes of both breed and consumption carp as well as it inflicted significant economic losses calculated in the tens millions of dollars. The European Union has added the koi herpes viral disease, due to its hazards, to the list of non-exotic diseases. Since 2008 there is a duty to report this infection in the Czech Republic as well. Koi herpes virus classified in the system of viruses as Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is considered the infective agent. Koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) are considered the main species susceptible to KHVD. However, it has been proved that the virus may be also detected in tissues of other fish species and in some of them clinical symptoms may appear. It is of high degree of probability that such fish species may play the role of viral communicants and this presumption has already been proved in some species in experimental conditions. With a view to the fact that koi herpes viral disease is incurable and application of a vaccine is impossible in the Czech Republic, for protection of fish breeding it is crucial to prevent bringing the disease in the territory. Mass fish perish caused by KHVD shall be prevented by strict inspection processes of the imported and exported fish, monitoring of the disease spread and responsible breeders' approach. The major objective of this work was to summarise available information about koi herpes viral disease and susceptibility of the individual fish species to this dangerous viral infectious disease in a form of a research study