Causative agent: Aquabirnavirus — birnavirus
Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) is a viral disease of significant concern to Australia's growing aquaculture industry, particularly the production of rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon in the cool southern states and Tasmania. While primarily a disease of salmonids, IPN is a notifiable condition in Australia and subject to strict biosecurity controls on imported fish and fish eggs. The virus attacks the pancreas and kidneys of juvenile fish, causing internal haemorrhage and the characteristic corkscrewing swimming behaviour. Mortality in naive juvenile populations can approach 100%. Australian fish farmers and aquaculture operators are required to report any suspected IPN outbreak to state fisheries authorities and the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. For the hobby aquarist, the relevance of IPN lies primarily in sourcing rainbow trout and salmon from certified disease-free hatcheries — an important consideration for those setting up cold water display tanks with these increasingly popular species in Australian aquariums.
Symptoms
- •Loss of appetite
- •erratic spinning or corkscrewing swimming behaviour
- •darkened skin
- •pale or blood-tinged faeces
- •haemorrhaging at base of fins
- •high mortality in juvenile fish
Treatment
- •No effective treatment — notifiable disease
- •euthanise affected fish
- •strict disinfection of all equipment
- •report to DAFF
Australian Medications
- •No treatment available — report to DAFF
Commonly Affected Fish
- •Salmonids (rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, brown trout) primarily
- •some ornamental fish can carry the virus
Important Notes
Notifiable disease in Australia. Primarily an aquaculture concern. Source salmonids only from certified disease-free hatcheries.