Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to the detection and studying the distribution of infectious pancreatic
necrosis virus (IPNV) using primer pairs designed for the amplification of vp2 gene fragment of the virus. The product of 206 bp was amplified from
the viral RNA extracts of the tissues of suspected fish. A total number of 190 clinically suspected rainbow trout fry from 38 hatchery farms in
Chaharmahal va Bakhtyari and Kohkilouye va Boyerahmad Provinces, both in west Iran, were studied and fishes of 12 hatchery farms (31.5% of all
studied farms) found to be infected with IPNV. The results also showed that 8 and 4 hatchery farms found to be IPN-positive in Chaharmahal va
Bakhtyari and Kohkilouye va Boyerahmad Provinces, respectively. The RT-PCR amplification of IPN vp2 is also recommended as a simple, highly
specific and sensitive method allowing diagnosis of IPN within a short time.
