OYSTER HERPESVIRUS - NETHERLANDS
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Date: Thu 9 Sep 2010
Source: Press release, Dutch Ministry of Agriculture [trans. Mod.AS, edited] <http://www.minlnv.nl/pls/portal/url/page/minlnv/actueel/nieuwsitem?p_news_item_id=2008000>
Oyster herpesvirus
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Ostreid herpesvirus (OsHV1, mu-var) has been found in Japanese oysters in the Oosterschelde. The infection has been revealed in the framework of a monitoring program for early detection of the herpes virus.
The virus is one of the reasons for the emergence of an oyster disease which may cause high mortality of Pacific oysters. To what extent other factors contribute to mortality is not yet known. The oyster herpesvirus disease does not pose risk to food safety and public health.
The monitoring program for the virus has been put into operation following the application of measures, addressing the spread of the virus, by the European Union (EU) earlier in 2010. These EU-published measures provided member states with the legal tools to take early action even if the disease was not known to be present within their boundaries.
During the summer of 2010, the Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) sampled young Japanese oysters at 3 locations in the Oosterschelde and 3 places in the Grevelingenmeer. The tests show that the herpes virus is present in Pacific oysters in the Oosterschelde. The results of the samples from Grevelingenmeer are expected next week [week of 13-17 Sep 2010].
During the sampling, no increased mortality was observed among the oysters; this is still the situation at present.
This is the 1st time that the oyster herpesvirus is found in Dutch waters.
It is not clear how long the virus has already been present in the Oosterschelde, since no earlier tests have been performed.
An exceptionally high mortality of juvenile oysters was observed In France during the summer of 2008. The mortality seemed to be partly due to the involvement of the Ostreid herpesvirus (OsHV-1) mu-var. This oyster disease can cause a mortality rate between 15 and 90 per cent. There seems to be a link between high mortality and water temperature. In the summer of 2009, the virus was also detected in Ireland and the UK. Italy has also reported the presence of the virus without increased mortality among young oysters.
The disease is not notifiable nor liable to official, compulsory control measures, but seems to be an emerging disease. Oysters from areas where the virus occurs and from areas where control measures have been applied, are not allowed introduction into areas where early monitoring is applied. They are, however, allowed to be distributed for human consumption since no public health hazard is involved.
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[This agent is not (yet) included among OIE's listed aquatic diseases; at present notified and handled as an emerging disease. Netherlands follows reports of its spread in France, UK and Ireland.
Both waterbodies Oosterschelde and Grevelingenmeer are situated within the province Zeeland in south-west Netherlands; see map at <http://www.map-of-netherlands.co.uk/map-of-zeeland.htm>.
Further reading:
A Segarra, JF Pepin, I Arzul, B Morga, N Faury, T Renault (2010). Detection and description of a particular Ostreid herpesvirus 1 genotype associated with massive mortality outbreaks of Pacific oysters, _Crassostrea giga_ in France in 2008. Article in press, Virus Research (VIRUS-95207), 8 pages. - Mod.AS]
[see also:
Oyster herpesvirus - England, Ireland: emerging, OIE 20100817.2858
2009
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Undiagnosed die-off, oysters - France: RFI 20090801.2697
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