China is responsible for over 70% of the world’s eel farming. But a devastating virus is causing a drastic drop in production. Fortunately, the University of Liège (ULiège) has developed an effective vaccine to combat this disease.
ULiège and the Chinese company Ningbo SanSheng Biological Technology, a major player in veterinary medicine in China, have cause for celebration. Scientists at the Virology and Vaccinology Laboratory within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at ULiège have developed a vaccine against the notorious Anguillid herpesvirus 1 (AngHV-1), a pathogen causing a massive number of deaths in the eel population.
Eels do not reproduce in aquaculture. They must be caught as larvae, known as elvers, in rivers and then farmed in captivity. A case of AngHV-1 could result in the deaths of 60% of the farmed stock in the tanks.
ULiège has concluded a licensing agreement with the Chinese company to develop and market this vaccine. The two partners previously signed a similar agreement in 2020 for a vaccine against a virus that targets common carp and koi carp.
Source: Focus on Belgium
