GIEWS - Special Alert No. 338 - Global, 26 May 2017
Outbreaks of Tilapia lake virus (TiLV) threaten the livelihoods and food security of millions of people dependent on tilapia farming
Year of publication2017
AuthorFAO
PublisherFAO
AbstractTilapia lake virus (TiLV) poses a great threat to the tilapia sector. Tilapias are farmed globally and are the second most important aquaculture species in terms of volumes produced, providing a key source of affordable animal protein, income to fishfarmers and fishers, and domestic and export earnings. TiLV has been confirmed in some countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. It is likely that TiLV may have a wider distribution than is known today and its threat to tilapia farming at the gl obal level is significant. While there is no public health concern for this pathogen, there is a significant risk of TiLV being translocated both inter- and intra-continentally through the movement of infected live tilapias in the absence of appropriate biosecurity measures. Tilapia producing countries need to be vigilant and take appropriate risk management measures (e.g. enhanced diagnostic testing of imported stocks and unexplained tilapia mortalities and reporting to biosecurity authoriti es, active surveillance, public information campaigns and contingency plans) to reduce the further spread and potential socio-economic impacts of this emerging disease.
Available inEnglish
Product typeNewsletter
SeriesGIEWS - Special Alerts
RegionGlobal
ISSN2707-1766
Areas of workGlobal Information and Early Warning System
KeywordsEarly warning systems; livestock production; weather reports; cereal crops; food security; crop yield.
