Assessment of the susceptibility of the brine shrimp Artemia salina and rotifer Brachionus plicatilis to experimental nodavirus infections

Cultures of Artemia salina nauplii and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were experimentally infected with Creek and Japanese nodaviruses isolates, in order to investigate the possibility of the invertebrates acting as a reservoir and source of nodavirus infection. Virological examination of extracts obtained showed well-developed cytopathic effects (CPE) for 1, 4 and 24 h post-initial exposure to virus but the infectivity did not persist. Electron microscopy failed to reveal any evidence of degenerative changes or the presence of viral particles in the invertebrates under the conditions examined. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.