2015년 2월부터 2018년 8월까지 총 1,253 마리의 자연산 명태 (Gadus chalcogrammus)를 강원도 고성 아야진항 근해에서 정치망을 사용하여 포획한 후, 바이러스 (viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, VHSV; nervous necrosis virus, NNV; marine birnavirus, MABV) 모니터링을 RT-PCR법으로 수행하였다. One-step PCR법으로 비장시료 및 뇌시료에서는 대상 바이러스가 모두 검출되지 않았으며, 일부 시료를 two-step PCR법으로 검사한 결과 VHSV는 19.7% (36/183)의 비장시료에서 검출되었다. 또한, NNV는 4.4% (8/183)의 비장시료, 1.2% (3/259)의 뇌시료에서 검출되었다. 검출된 바이러스의 계통 분석 결과, 기존의 국내에서 분리되는 바이러스의 유전형에 각각 속하는 것으로 나타났다 (Genotype Ⅳa, RGNNV genotype). 바이러스의 분리를 시도하지 않아 검출된 바이러스의 활성은 알 수 없지만, 모든 양성 시료가 two-step PCR법으로 검출되었으므로 매우 낮을 것으로 추측된다.

Wild walleye pollock were caught from Goseong, The East Sea of Korea and examined for the existence of several fish pathogenic viruses; viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), nervous necrosis virus (NNV) and marine birnavirus (MABV). We collected 1,253 wild walleye pollock in total during February 2015 and August 2018. 324 spleen sample sets and 259 brain sample sets were made, and examined for the existence of the viruses mentioned above by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). None of the target viruses were detected by one-step PCR. When some of these samples were further examined by two-step PCR, 19.7% (36/183) of spleen sample sets were positive for VHSV, and 4.4% (8/183) of spleen sample sets and 1.2% (3/259) of brain sample sets were positive for NNV. The target sequences of these viruses were clustered with those previously reported in Korea (Genotype Ⅳa of VHSV, RGNNV genotype of NNV) by phylogenetic analysis. The activity of these viruses are not clear because virus isolation was not attempted, but probably very low because all the positive samples were detected by two-step PCR.