Question: Where did
LMBV come from?
Answer: LMBV is one of more than 100 naturally occurring viruses
that affect fish, but not warm blooded animals. The origin is
unknown, but it is related to a virus found in frogs and other
amphibians and nearly identical to a virus isolated in fish
imported to the U.S. for the aquarium trade.
Question: When
was LMBV first discovered?
Answer: LMBV first gained attention in 1995, when it was
implicated in a fish kill on Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South
Carolina.
Question: Where
has LMBV been found?
Answer: LMBV has been found in 15 states. Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,
Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Texas.
Question: How
many lakes have experienced fish kills due to LMBV?
Answer: Fish kills attributed to LMBV have been confirmed in
nearly 20 locations since 1995.
Question: How do
you test for LMBV?
Answer: Testing for LMBV is very difficult because the fish must
still be alive when a sample is taken. Anglers who see fish dying
are asked to contact the regional fisheries office near them.
Question: Are
infected fish safe to handle and eat?
Answer: They are safe to eat. LMBV is not known to infect any
warm-blooded animals, including humans. Thoroughly cook fish that
you intend to eat. Fish that are dead or dying should not be used
for human food, regardless of the cause of the illness.
http://www.WildlifeDepartment.com/NewsRelease/050301/answers.rtf
(posted from the ODWC weekly
email)
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