Isolation and identification of Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS) viruses from cod Gadus morhua with the ulcus syndrome and from haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus having skin haemorrhages in the North Sea.

During fish disease surveys for marine rhabdoviruses in 1993 and 1995, the cod ulcus syndrome was seen widely in all ages of cod, especially the 2 to 5+ year classes. Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV) was isolated from a small proportion of the lesion-positive fish and these isolates were identified by immunofluorescence or ELISA. A serendipitous observation of dermal petechiae on haddock was made. VHSV was isolated from this lesion for the first time indicating a new host species for VHSV.