Iridovirus Contagious or Not

[Maives]

Does any know whether the iridovirus that appears to be killing droves of WC Banggai cardinals can infect other species?

I did find this article:
http://www.jvdi.org/cgi/content/full/21/3/306

Wide host and geographic ranges of this pathogen coupled with the severity of infections caused by these megalocytiviruses have had a major impact on cultured fish and likely have had negative effects on wild fish populations as well.43,62 Infections of ornamental and farmed food fish in both marine and freshwater environments can have devastating effects on profits of public aquaria, the ornamental hobby fish trade, and food fish industries. Iridoviruses are very stable in aquatic environments, a feature that facilitates their transmission by water-borne routes, as demonstrated in experimental trials.20,46,60 Natural and experimental infections result in severe disease, as exemplified by morbidity and mortality rates of 50% or greater41,42 depending on key environmental factors (e.g., water temperature), stressors, or other immunologic challenges often faced by cultured or ornamental fish.7,25 The stress of transport, acclimation, mating/courtship behaviors, reproduction, and high stocking densities may result in the progression of infections from subclinical to clinical with subsequent and rapid spread through populations.

What I don't know is if the BC iridovirus is host specific. If it is not, then that means that LFS bringing Banggais into their holding systems are infecting all other fish in the holding tanks, not just Banggais.

 

[Maives]

A critical question left unanswered...