Surveillance for nervous necrosis virus in black sea bass from the U.S. Atlantic coast

Viral nervous necrosis is a neurologic disease that causes vacuolating lesions in the brain and retina of a broad range of marine fish species. The viral agent responsible is nervous necrosis virus (NNV), a Betanodavirus within the family Nodaviridae. Based on genetic characterization of the viral genome, at least four species of NNV are known to exist, though this diversity is likely under appreciated. The virus poses a threat to marine fisheries and aquaculture throughout its range, though limited data exists on its presence in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Black sea bass, a serranid marine fish, were collected from artificial reefs along the New Jersey coast between 2020 and 2022 to screen for NNV using molecular methods. Prevalence of detection and genetic sequencing of the virus was completed to determine viral prevalence and to characterize the viral genotypes in this region.