Using pathology to guide detection and isolation of OrNV from CRB

Diagnosis of OrNV in CRB

Conclusions

• To diagnose OrNV infection you must be familiar with the behaviour and gut conditions of healthy beetles
• Low vigour, lack of feeding and early death are indicators of possible infection
• Dissection and extraction of the midgut allows further diagnosis
• Uninfected healthy beetle guts are normally thin, brown and may contain dark digestive fluids
• White, thickened guts are indicative of infection
• PCR indicates presence of OrNV in the gut
• Infection is confirmed by histology showing cell disruption and damage to the gut
• Cause of cellular disruption is confirmed by visualisation of virus through electron microscope