Characteristics of three rhabdoviruses from snakehead fish Ophicephalus striatus

Protein profiles and serological characteristics of 3 rhabdoviruses from snakehead fish Ophicephalus striatus were determined and compared to 5 known fish rhabdoviruses and 1 mammalian rhabdovirus. The snakehead rhabdovirus (SHRV) exhibited a bacilliform morphology and a Lyssavirus-type protein profile. The ulcerative disease rhabdovirus isolates (UDRV-BP and UDRV-19) were indistinguishable and exhibited bullet-shaped morphology and a Vesiculovirus-type protein profile. At present, none of the 3 viruses is known to be the cause of disease in any species of fish. UDRV-BP and UDRV-19 were serologically identical but distinct from SHRV and from 5 other fish rhabdoviruses. SHRV was serologically unrelated to any of the fish rhabdoviruses examined.