Wild fish are negligible transmitters of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) genotype Id in the VHS restriction zone in Finland.

Wild fish were suspected to be the source of reinfection by viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in Finnish brackish water rainbow trout farms located in a restriction zone regarding viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) comprising the entire Province of Åland, Baltic Sea, in the 2000s. Altogether, 1636 wild fish of 17 different species living in the vicinity of infected fish farms were screened for VHSV during the years 2005-2008. Additionally, 2 uninfected wild fish species as well as farmed whitefish were introduced into a VHS-positive fish farm to test whether they became infected by VHSV from the clinically diseased rainbow trout. Wild fish did not test positive for VHSV on any occasion. In contrast, whitefish introduced to a VHS-positive farm were infected with VHSV genotype Id and started to replicate the virus for a short time during the trial. Whitefish are farmed together with, or in the vicinity of, farmed rainbow trout in the study area and, according to this study, are a possible source of the recurring infection in the restriction area. A sprivivirus was isolated from all fish species in the infection trial without causing mortality in the test groups.

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV Id) infections are detected more consistently using syndromic vs. active surveillance.

The eradication of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV Id) from Finnish brackish-water rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss farms located in the restriction zone in the Province of Åland, Baltic Sea, failed several times in the 2000s. The official surveillance programme was often unable to find VHSV-positive populations, leading to the misbelief in the fish farming industry that virus eradication could be achieved. The ability of 3 other surveillance programmes to detect infected fish populations was compared with the official programme. One programme involved syndromic surveillance based on the observation of clinical disease signs by fish farmers, while 2 programmes comprised active surveillance similar to the official programme, but included increased sampling frequencies and 2 additional tests. The syndromic surveillance concentrated on sending in samples for analysis when any sign of a possible infectious disease at water temperatures below 15°C was noticed. This programme clearly outperformed active surveillance. A real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method proved to be at least as sensitive as virus isolation in cell culture in detecting acute VHSV infections. An ELISA method was used to test fish serum for antibodies against VHSV. The ELISA method may be a useful tool in VHSV eradication for screening populations during the follow-up period, before declaring an area free of infection.

The first report of autochthonous non-vector-borne transmission of canine leishmaniosis in the Nordic countries.

BACKGROUND: Leishmania spp. are zoonotic protozoans that infect humans and other mammals such as dogs. The most significant causative species in dogs is L. infantum. In dogs, leishmaniosis is a potentially progressive, chronic disease with varying clinical outcomes. Autochthonous cases of canine leishmaniosis have not previously been reported in the Nordic countries. RESULTS: In this report we describe the first diagnosed autochthonous cases of canine leishmaniosis in Finland, in which transmission via a suitable arthropod vector was absent. Two Finnish boxers that had never been in endemic areas of Leishmania spp., had never received blood transfusions, nor were infested by ectoparasites were diagnosed with leishmaniosis. Another dog was found with elevated Leishmania antibodies. A fourth boxer dog that had been in Spain was considered to be the source of these infections. Transmission occurred through biting wounds and semen, however, transplacental infection in one of the dogs could not be ruled out. Two of the infected dogs developed a serious disease and were euthanized and sent for necropsy. The first one suffered from membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and the second one had a chronic systemic disease. Leishmania sp. was detected from tissues by PCR and/or IHC in both dogs. The third infected dog was serologically positive for Leishmania sp. but remained free of clinical signs. CONCLUSIONS: This case report shows that imported Leishmania-infected dogs may pose a risk for domestic dogs, even without suitable local arthropod vectors.

Eradication of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae from a swine finishing herd without total depopulation.

Using vaccination and medication, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) was eradicated from a finishing herd without total depopulation. Altogether 3243 feeder pigs originating from Mhyo-free herds were vaccinated once using an inactivated, adjuvanted vaccine before transporting them to a Mhyo-infected finishing herd. The Mhyo-infected groups of pigs were medicated with antimicrobial agents at the time of the arrival of the first groups of Mhyo-free, vaccinated feeder pigs. The groups were operated with an all-in-all-out method in rooms with separate ventilation and slurry disposal systems. Thereafter the farmer purchased only non-vaccinated feeder pigs originating from Mhyo-free sow herds. Serology gave no positive results for 5.5 years and it was concluded that the eradication programme had been successful in producing a Mhyo-free herd without total depopulation.