Molecular and Serological Survey of Selected Viruses in Free-Ranging Wild Ruminants in Iran.

Farhid Hemmatzadeh,Majid Kharazian Moghadam,Azar Hematzade,Wayne Boardman,Arezo Alinejad

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168756

Abstract

A molecular and serological survey of selected viruses in free-ranging wild ruminants was conducted in 13 different districts in Iran. Samples were collected from 64 small wild ruminants belonging to four different species including 25 Mouflon (Ovis orientalis), 22 wild goat (Capra aegagrus), nine Indian gazelle (Gazella bennettii) and eight Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) during the national survey for wildlife diseases in Iran. Serum samples were evaluated using serologic antibody tests for Peste de petits ruminants virus (PPRV), Pestiviruses [Border Disease virus (BVD) and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus (BVDV)], Bluetongue virus (BTV), Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1), and Parainfluenza type 3 (PI3). Sera were also ELISA tested for Pestivirus antigen. Tissue samples including spleen, liver, lung, tonsils, mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes and white blood cells (WBCs) were tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for PPRV, Foot and Mouth Disease virus (FMDV), Pestivirus, BTV, Ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2) and BHV-1. Serologic tests were positive for antibodies against PPRV (17%), Pestiviruses (2%) and BTV (2%). No antibodies were detected for BHV-1 or PI3, and no Pestivirus antigen was detected. PCR results were positive for PPRV (7.8%), FMDV (11%), BTV (3%), OvHV-2 (31%) and BHV-1 (1.5%). None of the samples were positive for Pestiviruses.

Highlights

Habitat fragmentation, hunting, and infectious diseases often threaten biodiversity and may contribute to significant declines in wildlife populations [1, 2]
Four of seven Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) positive Mouflon were from Khojir and three from Bamo National Parks
Two of the pestivirus positive cases and one of the Bluetongue virus (BTV) positive cases were detected in Khojir and two other BTV cases were detected in Bamo National Park

Summary

Introduction

Habitat fragmentation, hunting, and infectious diseases often threaten biodiversity and may contribute to significant declines in wildlife populations [1, 2]. These populations can act as reservoirs of transmissible viruses leading to ‘spill-over’ infections in livestock [3, 4]. In turn ‘spill-back’ infections from livestock can lead to disease outbreaks in wildlife [5]. To understand the role wildlife play in spill-over and spill-back events, veterinarians need to consider the ecological and epidemiological aspects of infectious disease agents [6, 7]. Advanced in other countries, there has been limited monitoring of infectious disease agents in Iranian wildlife [8].

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Conclusion