Currently, diagnosis of abalone ganglioneuritis associated with infection by the recently discovered herpes-like virus is dependent on visualisation of gross clinical signs at the macroscopic level, of histological lesions at the light microscopic level and of virus particles at the electron microscopic level. Thus, while detection of diseased abalone is relatively straightforward it is labour-intensive and time-consuming. The purpose of this project is to develop molecular diagnostic procedures for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection and identification of abalone herpes-like virus infections in the presence, or absence, of clinical signs. Thus potential broodstock that are apparently healthy can be screened for the presence of herpes-like virus, sub-clinical, infections prior to on-farm use.

In addition to surveillance tools for detection and identification of sub-clinical infections, better procedures/reagents for overt disease diagnosis are required. While the presence of histological lesions provides a presumptive diagnosis, the development of in situ hybridisation probe(s) and/or diagnostic antiserum for the localisation of abalone herpes-like virus within histological lesions will provide a means for definitive diagnosis to be made with increased confidence.

Furthermore, in addition to providing an enhanced capability and capacity for disease diagnosis (detection and identification of herpes-like virus), development of molecular reagents and procedures will assist future research aimed at better understanding the pathogenesis (e.g. tissue distribution of the virus, effect of host factors such as age) and epidemiology (e.g. determination of host and geographic ranges, modes of transmission) of this disease. Such knowledge is crucial for efficient management of current and future disease outbreaks.