RNA-Seq of peripheral blood leukocytes after infection of common carp with Koi herpesvirus

Koi herpesvirus (KHV or CyHV-3) disease (KHVD) causes severe economic losses in common and Koi carp farms and fisheries and its eradication is challenging due to the establishment of latency in blood leukocytes and other tissues. Latent KHV can be reactivated and enter productive replication when fish are exposed to stress, such as increased water temperature. Despite the critical role of blood leukocytes in maintaining KHV infection through latency, the molecular mechanisms leading to KHV infection in leukocytes are poorly understood. Common carp were bath exposed to KHV at 17 degrees Celcius, and viraemia was confirmed by qPCR and flow cytometry at ten days post-infection. RNA-Seq was performed on peripheral blood leukocytes on an Illumina NovaSeq platform.