Possible Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) outbreak in fish Seneca & Cayuga Lakes, NY

[Ian David]

GLIDE Number: BH-20070725-12525-USA
Date / time: 25/07/2007 10:02:01
Event: Biological Hazard
Area: North-America
Country: USA
State/County: State of New York
City: Unknow
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:

Environmental officials say it's only a matter of time before the deadly fish disease called VHS is confirmed in Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. On Monday it was confirmed the disease was found in the channel connecting those lakes. As we spoke with Roy Bibbie, who’s been fishing in the Ithaca area all his life, he reeled in a fish. But this wasn't a normal looking catch. “Blood dripping from the anal fin of that fish. I’ve never seen anything quite like it and now that the story has come to light about the hemorrhaging I am concerned,” Bibbie is talking about the deadly fish virus called Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, or VHS.

It was found last year in many waters across northwest New York. Since then the virus has been found in the Finger Lakes Region, its likely going to continue to spread. Experts at Cornell University, who test possible infected fish, say the disease causes hemorrhaging of fish tissues leaving blotches of blood on the body. Cornell researchers are continuously testing random waters as well as suspicious looking fish that are brought in by fishermen. They say there may be one big reason why the disease is spreading so fast. “Boaters, recreational users can catch fish from one lake and that may be infected and accidentally spread to another lake,” says Dr. James Casey, Professor of Virology at Cornell University. Bibbie can't say for sure whether the fish he caught has VHS, but he says the two lesions and the excessive blood on the fish didn't look normal. He also doesn't think the fish was in a fight. After inspecting the fish, Bibbie threw it back in the water.

“I will call the DEC tonight or tomorrow and tell them that I found something, at least ask,” says Bibbie. Officials with the Department of Environmental Conservation, or DEC, say if you decide to throw these fish back in the water; it's ok as long as you report it. Cornell researchers are continuously testing random waters as well as suspicious looking fish that are brought in by fishermen. They're even using a new tool that gets results in just two hours. “It'll be very fast and it's a great screen tool. There are three major labs in the United States that are using it. We are the ones that started it all. We can test say thousands of fish,” says Dr. Casey. Officials say VHS won't harm humans. The DEC is urging you to contact them at [phone] if you catch a fish that appears to look abnormal.

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&cid=12525

[Double T]

1. What the hell is happening to ALL of our environments.............

contamination, viruses, disease, pollution, extinction everywhere and becoming worse. The terminal cancer in the WH has their priorities screwed up. This could be the end of the fish populations in the Finger Lakes.........