BIOPHYSICAL AND SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF RHABDOVIRUS-903/87 ISOLATED FROM EUROPEAN LAKE TROUT SALMO-TRUTTA LACUSTRIS

Rhabdovirus 903/87 isolated from European lake trout Salmo trutta lacustris (L.) in Finland was compared serologically with 11 previously reported fish rhabdoviruses. By immunofluorescence, the virus was not related to 9 of these rhabdoviruses; however, the lake trout rhabdovirus 903/87 was serologically related to perch rhabdovirus and pike rhabdovirus DK 5533. Electron microscopic examination showed the virus to be bullet-shaped, with dimensions of 156 x 65 nm. SDS-PAGE analyses of the structural proteins indicated that the virus belonged to the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae, but that the relative mobilities of the glycoprotein and the phosphoprotein (also termed N5) could be used to differentiate the 903/87 isolate from the perch rhabdovirus and the pike rhabdovirus DK 5533. The rhabdovirus 903/87 appears to be a new pathogen of fish and we suggest that it be renamed the European lake trout rhabdovirus.