Evaluate of effcacy clinical signs, physiological and environmental factors on the sero prevalence rate of blue-tongue virus in sheep flocks

Subject Areas : clinical veterinary science

M. Imandar, ¹ , S.A Pourbakhsh, ² , علی Hassanpour, ³ , , F Moosakhani ⁴

1 - Department of Pathobiology, Tehran Science and Research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Pasargad Research Group, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
4 - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran

Received: 2016-11-04 Accepted : 2016-11-04 Published : 2014-03-21

Keywords: Sheep, Risk Factors, seroprevalence, Blue tongue,

Abstract :

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of clinical, physiological factors (age, sex, history ofabortion) and environmental factors (marsh or swampy environment, the climate, the distribution of mosquitoesin the environment, altitude above sea level) on the Blue tongue virus seroprevalence in the sheep flocks. Thisstudy was performed on 200 blood samples were randomly collected from 19 herds and 7 villages in the KHOYcity. Sera was investigated using by ELISA to determine serum levels of antibodies against the Blue tongue virusand the results were analyzed statistically. Information required in questionnaire forms were collected during thisstudy. Results showed from a total of 200 samples 74 cases had clinical symptoms such as rhinitis, stomatitisand laminitis which only 26 samples were seropositive. A total of 40 male 23 cases (57/50%) and from the 160females 111 cases (69/37%) had a positive ELISA test that there was no signifcant difference between male andfemale animals(P>0.05). There were 66 samples with abortion history of the ewes trap frequency of positiveserum samples that 49 samples were found positive with abortion which is equivalent to 14/44% was achieved.Different age groups had signifcant difference more susceptible to infection with BTV antibody (P<0.05).Morethan 80% of positive samples belonged to swamp and semi-swamp environments and other of samples related tonon-swampy areas. Among the positive serum samples more than half of the samples were with hot and humidweather. The based of distribution rate of mosquitoes in areas with many mosquitoes more than 40% of positivecases were scattered about in too. The altitude above sea level in low-lying areas close to half belongs of thepositive samples and post lowland (altitude 1,000 m). Results of this study is shown some factors such as age,history of abortion, swampy environments, heat and moisture, many distribution of mosquitoes and low-land areascan be risk factors of sero-prevalence of BTV among sheep and should be ways for control of sero-prevalence ofBTV and prevention from change to clinical form of disease.