PD increase expected
As the statistics of Veterinary Research show, there have been many outbreaks of PD this year - with 87 cases confirmed or suspected in the first six months.
"It's not surprising," fish health biologist Kristina Birkeland, at the Norwegian Food Safty Authority (NFSA) district office in Bergen, tells Norsk Fiskeoppdrett/kyst.no. "It's been a mild winter and high water temperatures mean that biological processes are faster, making it easier for the PD virus to spread. This is most likely the main reason for the high number of PD outbreaks, especially in our district. There are, of course, natural fluctuations too, but this year we see a clear correlation between the mild winter and the number of outbreaks.
"Last year was a surprisingly good PD situation in the county of Hordaland, but then it was also a very cold winter. As the temperature rose, we expect an increase in the summer months," she adds.
