Isolation of a previously undiscribed rhabdovirus from pike Esox lucius

D u r ~n g v~rological examination of healthy pike fry, a rhabdovirus, probably belonging to the Vesiculo group of the rhabdovirus family, was isolated which appeared to be dlstinct from 12 other fish rhabdoviruses The virus shared antigenic sites with perch rhabdovirus as shown by indirect immunofluorescence techniques The virus was strongly pathogenic for pike fry but not for ralnbow trout fry under aquarium conditions.Histopathological changes in pike fry exposed to bath infection with the virus showed haemorrhages and tissue necrosis resembling the changes induced by viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus and other rhabdoviruses causing systemic infections.