Spatial and non‐spatial risk factors associated with cage‐level distribution of infectious salmon anaemia at three Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., farms in Maine, USA

Abstract

The distribution of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) was examined among 80 cages from three Atlantic salmon grow‐out farms in Maine, USA that were stocked with smolts from a single hatchery. Cage‐level disease was broadly defined as one or more moribund fish testing positive for infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) by RT‐PCR and a second confirmatory test (IFAT, culture or genotype sequence). Spatio‐temporal and cage‐level risks were explored using logistic regression and survival analysis. Non‐spatial risk factors associated with ISA, or shortened survival time to disease, included increased predation, trucking company choice for smolt transfers, a finely‐sedimented benthic substrate, and smaller average size of smolts at stocking. Univariable analysis identified the time‐dependent spatial factor ‘adjacency to newly infected cages’ to be predictive of new infection in neighbouring cages 11–12 weeks later. However, none of the spatial factors, or their lags retained relevance in multiple‐variable models. The results suggest a diffuse distribution of virus exposure throughout infected sites, with host‐susceptibility factors probably influencing disease manifestation in individual cages. The narrow focus of the current study may limit application of the findings to other sites and year‐classes. However, these data support the relevance of husbandry efforts to optimize fish health in regions affected by ISAV.

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