TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL EASTERN FISH HEALTH WORKSHOP Royal Pavilion Resort, Atlantic Beach, NC MARCH 9-11, 1999 International Perspective: The Australian Animal Health Laboratory’s Fish Diseases Laboratory Helen Byers, M. Crane, N. Gudkovs, L. Williams, L. Eaton & J. Young AAHL Fish Diseases Laboratory, CSIRO Animal Health, Private Mail Bag 24, Geelong VIC 3220 AUSTRALIA. The Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) is a national facility specialising in the research and diagnosis of animal diseases, especially those exotic to Australia. Within AAHL’s purpose-built microbiologically secure facility, exotic pathogens can be studied without risking their release into the external environment. The AAHL Fish Diseases Laboratory (AFDL) was established at this facility in response to the expanding Australian aquaculture industry (current production value is around A$425 million). Many serious infectious diseases which limit overseas aquaculture production remain exotic to Australia. Outbreaks of such diseases pose a serious threat to Australian aquaculture, as the industry’s greatest strength lies in its disease-free status and reputation for providing a clean, green product. A brief overview of those diseases of concern to our aquaculture industry will be given. One of AFDL’s primary roles is therefore disease diagnosis and identification of pathogens (both exotic and enzootic). Over the past 5-10 years, methods have been established for the isolation and identification of fish pathogens using classical techniques including cultural isolation and characterisation of bacterial pathogens, biochemical characterisation of bacteria, virus isolation in fish cell culture and serum neutralisation. In addition, other procedures such as immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase tests, ELISA and immunoblots are used for pathogen identification. Currently, we are expanding our generic technology to include molecular techniques such as PCR for improved disease diagnosis and for their application to the identification of latent infections and disease carriers. In addition, AFDL staff work in collaboration with other diagnostic groups within AAHL who provide histology, electron microscopy and molecular biology services. The laboratory also provides export certification services for the Australian aquaculture industry, and advice to State and Commonwealth agencies. A summary of some of the recent activities of AFDL will be presented. Return to 24th Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop Return to Leetown Science Center Home Page