Project number: 2016-183
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $23,362.00
Principal Investigator: Katrina Roper
Organisation: Australian National University (ANU)
Project start/end date: 9 Jul 2017 - 30 Aug 2017
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Invasive Species
Freshwater
Environmental Impact
Disease
Consumer Health
SPECIES
European Carp

Need

Carp (Cyprinus carpio) are an introduced fish that now dominate fish communities throughout many Australian inland waterways.[1] Recently, cyprinid herpesvirus 3, has been proposed as a potential biological control method for carp in Australia. [2] Reports have been published evaluating the susceptibility of non-target species [3]. However concerns remain around the ecological and environment impact of the release of the virus [4]. This proposal will provide from the published literature a risk assessment of the potential impact on human health from the release of the virus into Australian inland water systems. The psychosocial effects of a mass die off after release of the virus will also be considered in the context of comparison with similar events that have previously occurred.

A report will be provided to FRDC summarising the analysis of the literature.

1. Carp herpesvirus as a biological control for carp. Carp Factsheet CPFS7. PestSmart. March 2016.
2. Saudners G, Cooke B, McColl K, Shine R and Peacock T (2007) Modern approaches for the biological control of vertebrate pests: an Australian perspective. Biological Control 52: 288-295.
3. MColl K. (2016) Final report: Phase 3 of the carp herpesvirus project (CyHV-3). Invasive Animals CRC. Australian Government Department of Industry.
4. Lighten j and van Oosterhout C (2017) Biocontrol of common carp in Australia poses risks to biosecurity. Nature Ecology and Evolution 1:0087.

Objectives

1. To conduct a risk assessment via a systematic review on the potential impact on human health from the release of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 into Australian inland water systems.
2. To evaluate the potential psychosocial impact on the public from the mass fish die-off that will result from the release of the cyprinid herpesvirus-3.
3. To produce a discussion paper for FRDC summarising the findings of the first two objectives.

Final report

ISBN: 978-0-646-98525-1
Author: Katrina Roper and Laura Ford
Final Report • 2019-11-05 • 909.07 KB
2016-183-DLD.pdf

Summary

The present study, undertaken by the Australian National University, was developed to investigate the potential direct risks to human health of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3), as a part of investigations into species specificity of the virus under the National Carp Control Plan (NCCP). The NCCP, tasked with determining the feasibility of potential use of CyHV-3 as a biocontrol for carp in Australia, was required to consider risks and potential impacts to human health as a key component of overall ecological, social, and soci-economic risks. Direct impacts to human health would signal immediate determination for non-feasibility of CyHV-3 as a biocontrol. At the time of the investigation, CyHV-3 has been identified in 33 countries, predominantly in aquaculture facilities, but with some wild outbreaks. In most of these countries, carp are consumed by humans as a food product. This study aimed to determine if any reports have been found which identify infection of human beings by CyHV-3, whether through ingestion or other forms of exposure. Psychosocial impacts were also considered in the review of literature, including grey literature.

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