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Iron is essential for all life forms. Hemoglobin, found in the body's red blood cells, is an iron-rich protein that binds to oxygen for efficient oxygen delivery around the body. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition whereby insufficient oxygen is distributed throughout an animal's body to provide energy for its activities. In infectious salmon anemia, a virus commandeers fish "blood-iron" for its own purposes, eventually killing the animal. This disease created a huge setback for the Atlantic salmon fishery in 1999 when one million salmon had to be culled. However, in 2000, National Research Council Canada (NRC) scientists in partnership with Microtek International Ltd. developed a vaccine to protect Atlantic salmon from this disease.
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