Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) is a susceptible species for koi herpesvirus (KHV) but not for KHV disease (KHVD)

In an experiment, koi (Cyprinus carpio) and goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) were infected with koi herpesvirus (KHV) by immersion or intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Tissue and leucocyte samples were screened for the presence of KHV by PCR at the nucleic acid level and immunofluorescence antibody technique (IFAT) on a protein level at several time points post infection (p.i.). KHV was detected in tissues as well as in separated leucocytes obtained from both koi and goldfish by PCR, in-situ hybridization (ISH) and IFAT. Leucopenia occurred in both, koi and goldfish. While koi surviving the infection recovered quickly from leucopenia, it persisted for at least 60 days in goldfish. On day 60 p.i. KHV infected goldfish were cohabitated with naive koi at 19 degrees C water-temperature. Koi were bled for leucocyte separation analysis on day 30 post cohabitation. KHV was found in white blood cells by PCR, ISH and IFAT. It was concluded that goldfish is a susceptible species according to EU Commission Decision 2006 / 88 / EC.