News

European crayfish in Glomma river has been diagnosed with crayfish plague. The disease is considered a serious threat to the Norwegian stock of European crayfish. Previously the disease has been diagnosed in Glomma river in 1987, 2004/2005 and in September of last year.

We need better knowledge about algal toxins in shellfish, to protect both public health and a seafood industry. Various algal species produce compounds that can accumulate in shellfish and be poisonous to humans. Dr Chris Miles from New Zealand is in Norway for a 2-year EU Fellowship to develop new knowledge about algal toxins in shellfish and their effects on humans.

The National Veterinary Institute will get a new EU project; BASELINE, about food sampling and food safety. The institute will lead the work package about seafood, and be involved in the work packages about meat, fruits and vegetables, and harmonising of food sampling regimes.

The signal crayfish is foreign and unwanted in Norwegian territory. It carries the crayfish-plague which is a serious threath to the Norwegian stock of European crayfish. The measures taken against the signal crayfish in Dammane natural reservoir is the subject of a new report by the National Veterinary Institute.

In the first part of August an increase in mortality at feeding places has been registred in Hedmark and Østfold regions. The National Veterinary Institute wants to find out the cause of the increased mortality as well as the extent of these outbreaks amongst small birds.

ILA is considered both nationally and internatinally to be a serious and contagious fish-disease. The region of Sør-Troms, north in Norway, has had outbreaks of the disease recently. The National Veterinary Institute recommends that vaccination should be tried as a supplement to other measures in order to combat the disease. The consequences for the industry are substantial.

The National Veterinary Institute has in the cause of this year seen several moralitycases in rainbowtrout fry caused by infection with the bacteria Flavobacterium psychrophilum.

Electrical sedation of lobster and crabs prior to boiling can increase the animal welfare a new report states.

The second case of Tularemia in a hare, also known as 'rabbit fever', in Akershus county in the course of a few months was confirmed this week. Analysis and autopsy performed at the National Veterinary Institute confirmed the diagnosis.

Dr Chris Miles from New Zealand started on a 2 year Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship at the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) in June 2008, working on algal toxin research. Dr Miles is an internationally recognised chemist who has worked for many years on isolation and identification of algal toxins in shellfish.