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Projects 14

Fish virology and fish diseases Perch Rhabdovirus infection in perch (Perca fluviatilis) and pike-perch (Sander Lucioperca) BACKGROUND: The production and the number of farms producing pike-perch (Sander Lucioperca) is expected to grow significantly in Denmark and in Europe as a whole. Pike-perch is a valuable and popular fish species for consumers. Denmark has been leading in the development and management of facilities producing pike-perch. One of the most important constrains for sustainable production is however infection with a rhabdovirus in the vesiculo family named “perch rhabdovirus”. The virus is present in free-living perch and pike-perch and can cause high mortalities under farming conditi-ons. 28 The virus and the disease are still not well described and knowledge is lacking on molecular properties of the virus and epidemiology of the disease. PREREQUISITES: We have a large collection of Perch Rhabdovirus isolates from across Europe. The study will inclu-de virus propagation in cell cultures, titration and immunochemical identification, conventional and real-time RT-PCR, and sequencing with related bioinformatics. Data will be collected and stored in an internal database collection that we keep in our function as the EU reference laboratory for fish diseases. All necessary equipment and support will be available THE PROJECT: Involves the typing of a wide range of positive samples by full or partial sequencing of the genes encoding the viral glycoprotein and / or nucleocapsid protein (G and N). This information will pro-vide an epidemiological understanding of the spread and development of perch rhabdovirus infec-tions in farmed and wild fish. The study will involve the development, validation and implementation of a real-time RT-PCR for the detection of perch rhabdovirus. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with scientists and technicians at the Fish di-seases Team in Section of Virology as well as with our partners in other countries (France, Finland and Germany). The project is suitable for one or two students. Contact: Professor Niels Jørgen Olesen, DTU Vet, Bülowsvej 27, 1870 Frederiksberg C. njol@vet.dtu.dk.


Projects 14
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