Detection of Parainfluenza Type 3 Virus Antigens in Goats

Abstract

Parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) is the most common virus infection of the respiratory tract of sheep and goats throughout the world. The virus belongs to family Paramyxoviridae of order Mononegaviralis, the non-segmented negative single stranded RNA viruses. Often, infection is complicated by coinfection with respiratory bacteria (Mannheimia haemolytica). In this study, detection of PI-3 virus as causative agent of pneumonia in goat kids was investigated.The virus was detected in lung tissues using direct immunofluorescence method (DFAT) with anti-PI-3 polyclonal antiserum conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate (VMRD, cat. no. CJ-F-PI3-10ML). The samples were collected from twelve diseased goat kids from a farm where were diagnosed respiratory signs.The outbreak dynamics was characterized by high morbidity and mortality in goat kids aged between one to four weeks. Clinically all affected animals were presenting respiratory manifestation (coughing and nasal discharge). At the necropsy pneumonic apical and cardiac lobes in lungs were observed in all died goat kids. The positive result of DFAT was considered based on the specific fluorescence localized in the cytoplasm of bronchiolar epithelial cells.In the present research work, we demonstrated the suitability of the immunodetection of viral antigens in routinely fixed tissue specimens as a diagnostic tool for PI-3 infection in goats. Â