• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2006

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) that causes severe mortality during seed production of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) is known to be vertically transmitted from infected spawners. This study was conducted to produce NNV free seeds by testing spawners for NNV infection and using virus free eggs for seed production. RT-PCR analysis of 40 spawners showed 18 positives and 22 negatives. NNV was not detected from eggs obtained from the negative spawners but was detected from those obtained from the positives. NNV was not detected from culturing seawater in tanks and Chlorella spp., Brachionus plicatilis., and Brine shrimp those were provided as live feed. The survival rates of fry from NNV positive and negative spawners were 80% and 85%, respectively by two weeks after hatching. The mortality increased from 25days after hatching and the final survival rate of seeds from NNV positive and negative spawners were 0% and 18.3%, respectively on 41 days after hatching. These results suggested that virus free red drum seeds can be obtained by using virus-free spawners.