Open Access
Research (Published online: 10-04-2021)
8. First report of tilapia lake virus emergence in fish farms in the department of Córdoba, Colombia
Héctor Contreras, Adriana Vallejo, Salim Mattar, Luis Ruiz, Camilo Guzmán and Alfonso Calderón
Veterinary World, 14(4): 865-872

Héctor Contreras: Institute of Biological Research of the Tropic, University of Córdoba, Colombia.
Adriana Vallejo: Aquatic Health and Water Quality laboratory, Aquaculture Program, University of Córdoba, Colombia.
Salim Mattar: Institute of Biological Research of the Tropic, University of Córdoba, Colombia.
Luis Ruiz: Aquatic Health and Water Quality laboratory, Aquaculture Program, University of Córdoba, Colombia.
Camilo Guzmán: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Córdoba, Colombia.
Alfonso Calderón: Institute of Biological Research of the Tropic, University of Córdoba, Colombia.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.865-872

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Article history: Received: 26-04-2020, Accepted: 21-12-2020, Published online: 10-04-2021

Corresponding author: Salim Mattar

E-mail: smattar@correo.unicordoba.edu.co

Citation: Contreras H, Vallejo A, Mattar S, Ruiz L, Guzmán C, Calderón A (2021) First report of Tilapia lake virus emergence in fish farms in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, Veterinary World, 14(4): 865-872.
Abstract

Background and Aim: In 2016, the tilapia-producing farms in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, had witnessed outbreaks of disease with clinical signs compatible with those caused by the tilapia lake virus (TiLV). This study was conducted to confirm the presence of TiLV in some fish farms in the department of Córdoba.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in seven farms using a non-random sampling method from July 2016 to December 2017. A total of 66 fish, including 33 healthy fish and 33 fish with clinical signs, were caught, from which 178 tissue samples of spleen, liver, and brain were collected. RNA was extracted from each organ using TRIzol®. cDNA was synthesized using a retrotranscriptase and a universal amplification primer. The polymerase chain reaction was performed using primers specific to TiLV, in which the primers were amplified in a 491 bp region in segment 3 of TiLV, and the amplicons were sequenced using the Sanger method.

Results: Of the seven farms surveyed, 3 (42.85%) had TiLV in the collected fish. Of the 66 collected fish, 18 (27.27%) were infected with TiLV. The virus was detected in the brain (64.3%, 18/28), spleen (61.9%, 13/21), and liver (35.7%, 10/28). The sequences were recorded in GenBank with the codes MH338228, MH350845, and MH350846 . Nucleotide homology analyses revealed that this study's circulating strains exhibited 97% identity with the Israeli strain (GenBank KU751816.1).

Conclusion: This is the first official report of TiLV in the department of Córdoba, Colombia. The circulating strains detected in this study exhibited 97% identity with the Israeli strain.

Keywords: alternative, animal use, developing countries, disease outbreaks, economic factor, fish diseases, sentinel surveillance.