The SunBreak » isav

Salmon Virus Cover Up? Blame Canada!

Michael van Baker — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:03:11 +0000

Field researcher Molly Kibenge found indications of the virus in 117 fish, though all were asymptomatic. That wasn't terribly surprising: In a paper published in Diseases of Aquatic Organisms in 2001, where her husband Fred Kibenge was lead author, they had already concluded that wild salmon could contract--but weren't in terrible danger from--ISAv.

More Reports of Salmon Virus Found in Canadian Waters

Michael van Baker — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:23:24 +0000

Now, reports Seattlepi.com: "the ISA virus was found in the fins of three adult salmon--a Chinook, a chum and a coho--taken out of the Harrison River in the Fraser Valley early last month." However, they go on to say, "additional testing on the [first] sockeye smolts, done at the University of Bergen in Norway, was not able to confirm the findings." Only one of the tests showed a fish with ISAv, and that was at the limits of detectability, so it was not really a smoking fin.

Salmon Flu & You: Myths and Mysteries

Michael van Baker — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:42:50 +0000

The lethal and highly infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) has, it's been reported by the New York Times, "detected for the first time in wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest." The virulent form causes damage to blood vessels and blood cells--sick fish have pale gills and hemorrhage internally. Of 48 juvenile sockeye salmon taken from British Columbia's River Inlet, two tested positive for ISAV.