Persistent infection with IPN virus in Atlantic Salmon - Relevance of physiological status and stress

This project will aim at studying factors of importance for the induction of a persistent infection with infectious pancratic necrosis virus in Atlantic salmon. The approach will be to examine the improtance of key stress factors and viral components reco gnised as persistence factors, and host cell responsses identified as interaction between the virus and the host cells. Fish will be exposed to an in vitro stress model whereby parr of alsmo will be implanted with cortisol, growth hormone or a combination of both and then challenged with similars strains of IPNV as mentioned. To elucidate the possible interaction between apoptosis and persistence in vitro studies will include methods whereby apoptosis is induced in a permanent cell line or head kidney mac rophages after which they are fed to a permanent salmon cell line. Effects of this treatment will be monitored by measuring cytokine profiles and subsequently susceptibility to IPNV infection and the establishment of a persistent infe ction in vitro.