Correlation of virus replication and spleen index in rock bream iridovirus infected rock bream Oplegnathus fasciatus

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) is a member of the Megalocytivirus genus that causes severe mortality to rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) with characteristic clinical signs of spleen enlargement. In this study, we assessed spleen size and RBIV copy number patterns in RBIV-infected rock bream to determine lethal and safe levels of virus copy number/spleen index that may define disease progress. We found that rock bream infected with RBIV ($1.1{\times}10^7virus\;copy\;number/100{\mu}l$) and held at 29, 26, 23 or $20^{\circ}C$ exhibited significantly higher levels of spleen size compared to $17^{\circ}C$. In dead condition (100% mortality at $20{\sim}29^{\circ}C$), the spleen index ($spleen\;weight/fish\;weight{\times}100$) and virus copy number were 3.00~5.38 and $10^6{\sim}10^8/{\mu}l$, respectively. Conversely, in survived condition (0% mortality at $17^{\circ}C$), spleen index and virus copy number was as low as not-infected control ($0.34{\sim}1.22/10^0{\sim}10^1/{\mu}l$, respectively). These findings suggest that spleen index can be an indicator of disease severity of RBIV disease.