Tissue Tropism and Pathogenesis of LMBV in Largemouth Bass: A Comparative Study of Injection and Immersion Infection Models

Abstract

Largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBV) poses a significant threat to the aquaculture industry by causing severe systemic disease and substantial economic losses. This study investigates the tissue distribution, pathological damage, and host response following LMBV‐GD1909 infection using two infection models: experimental injection and simulated natural immersion. In the injection model, infected fish exhibited clinical signs, including skin ulcers, haemorrhaging at fin bases, body darkening and organ swelling. Histopathological analysis revealed extensive multi‐organ damage, particularly in the liver, spleen, and kidney, characterised by necrosis, haemorrhage, vacuolar degeneration and inflammatory infiltration. Haematological and serum biochemical analyses indicated significant alterations in key parameters, including elevated WBC, RBC and GLU levels, and reduced PLT, TP and LDH levels, reflecting systemic physiological disruption. Viral dynamics analysis demonstrated the pantropic nature of LMBV, with rapid dissemination to multiple tissues post‐injection. The liver and spleen were identified as primary target organs, showing the highest viral loads and most severe pathology, indicating a direct correlation between viral load and organ dysfunction. In the immersion model, simulating natural infection, the gills and skin displayed the highest viral loads initially, identifying them as the major entry portals. The gills also served as a key site for viral replication, with a clear gradient of viral spread from external to internal tissues observed over time. This study comprehensively elucidates the tissue tropism, dissemination pathways, and pathological impact of LMBV, providing critical insights for developing targeted prevention and control strategies against LMBV.

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