Summary
Bluetongue
(BT), peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and sheep pox are the most
economically important viral diseases of sheep in India. Serum samples
obtained from sheep in five northern states of the country were
screened for antibody against these agents to explore the extent
of spread of these infections. A total of 516 serum samples were
screened for the presence of antibodies against BT and PPR viruses.
Of these, 155 samples were also tested for antibodies against sheep
pox virus. BT antibodies were found in 293 (56.8%) animals, PPR
virus antibodies in 215 (41.7%) and sheep pox virus antibodies in
106 (68.3%). Of the serum samples tested, 25.2% were positive for
antibodies against all three viruses. These findings clearly demonstrated
not only the enzootic nature of disease, but also the co-existence
of antibodies to more than one of these viruses which would indicate
that concurrent infections were common. Therefore, control measures
should focus in combating all three diseases simultaneously by exploring
the possibility of a trivalent vaccine or the use of multiple genes
expressing vectored vaccine.
Keywords
Bluetongue,
India, Peste des petits ruminants, Sheep, Sheep pox, Seropositivity.
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