Epidemiological investigation of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) outbreaks in Norway 2003–2005

Epidemiological information was summarized from 32 outbreaks of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) on salmon farming sites in Norway in 2003–2005. Virus isolates from the outbreak sites were genotyped, and the genotyping was used to assess possible associations between outbreak sites due to adjacent location, sharing fish farming authorisation, sharing smolt suppliers or sharing broodfish origin of the fish. The ISA outbreaks were distributed along most of the Norwegian coast and showed a variable clinical picture. The virus genotypes clustered into three genogroups. Pairs of outbreak sites matched for adjacent location or registered under the same authorisation, all shared genogroup, which was a significantly higher number of corresponding genogroups than expected by chance. For outbreak sites sharing smolt suppliers, corresponding genogroups appeared in 7 out of 12 matched pairs, which was not significant. An evaluation of broodfish origin associated with genogroups did not support transmission linked to broodfish origin. In conclusion, genotyping of virus isolates from ISA outbreaks supports associations between adjacent outbreaks. This is consistent with horizontal transmission. The present study failed to find evidence for vertical transmission (patterns of genogroups related to smolt suppliers or broodfish companies were not identified).