Testing Farm-Raised Salmon for Deadly Viruses

The infectious Salmon Anemia Virus (ISA) kills salmon. If not detected early, the virus can spread through an entire aquaculture population and result in huge losses for salmon farmers. Micro Technologies, Inc. of Richmond, Maine has built an international clientele by providing testing for salmon farmers worldwide. Much of the science underlying the tests they use emerged from research at the University of Maine. Dr. Mike Opitz and Dr. Bruce Nicholson worked with former UMaine microbiology instructor Debbie Bouchard of Micro Technologies to discover which of a number of available tests was most sensitive and accurate in diagnosing the presence of the virus. The collaboration was a natural one. Bouchard and many of her colleagues had studied or worked at the University and founded Micro Technologies, Inc. to exploit expertise developed there. Results were surprising. Researchers found that a combination of tests is actually most effective in screening for the virus. These findings were at odds with traditional practice and have led to new protocols for ISA testing in salmon.