J. Pelnar | USGS Science

USGS1962

An interim report on Sacramento River Chinook disease: A virus-like disease of Chinook salmon

An annually recurring disease among chinook salmмом ( Oncorhynchus tahawytscha ) FINGERLINGs at the National Fish Hatchery at Coleman, California, was reported by Ross, Pelnar, and Rucker (1960). They presented results of experimental investigation of the disease which established that the etiologic agent was filterable, highly virulent, and resistant to antibiotics and some of the more common chemicals, and that it was apparently not transmitted in salmon product-used as food, as was shown for a virus disease of sockeye salmon ( O. merka ) by Guenther, watson, and Rucker (T559). Also, Ross and his co-workers (1960) indicated a relation between temperature and incidence of the disease, and speculated on the possibility of the agent's being a virus.

Progressive Fish-Culturist↗

USGS1960

A Virus-like disease of chinook salmon

Consideration is given to a recurring disease of early feeding chinook salmon fingerlings at the Coleman, California, Federal Fish Cultural Station. The infection becomes manifest in the early spring months at low water temperatures and abates as the water temperature rises. Bacteriological studies have failed to yield the presence of a disease agent, either by cultural or staining procedures. The disease has been successfully transmitted from infected fish to healthy fish by the injection of bacteria-free filtrates prepared from diseased fish tissue. The causative agent is therefore believed to be a virus-like entity.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗