Risk analysis and seroprevalence ofbovine ephemeral fever virus inPunjab, Pakistan.

Abstract

Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) is avector-borne viral disease caused bythe RNA virus which belongs tothe genus Ephemerovirus and thefamily Rhabdoviridae. Toevaluate theeffect ofthe risk factors like thebreed ofcattle and buffaloes, age, sex, lactation, housing and region on thebovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) prevalence, ELISA and virus neutralisation (VN) tests (n=600) were performed forthe BEFV prevalence. Theseroprevalence incattle was45.6% and42% byELISA and VN, respectively (P=0.001). Thebreed-wise seropositive ratio was(55-64%) incattle and (22.5-18.3%) inbuffaloes byVN and ELISA. Thesex-wise prevalence was(40-49.4%) infemales and (35.8-46%) inmales byVN and ELISA incattle and asimilar prevalence wasreported inbuffaloes. Theage-wise prevalence inbovines byELISA was5.33, 22.66 and 17.66% inthe age group <1year, 1-3years and >3years, respectively. Thedisease prevalence washigher inthe age group of1-3years. Theprevalence washigher during the3rdlactation inbovines. Theregion-wise prevalence washigher inthe 07districts while lower (18-21%) inRawalpindi District byVN and ELISA, respectively (P=0.001). Commercial dairy farms ofcattle showed ahigher disease prevalence (52% and 44%) than non-commercial farms (38% and 36%) byELISA and VN, respectively (P=0.227). Exotic cows showed higher disease prevalence (76.67% and 70%) byELISA and VN. Themortality inbovines was5% (7.7% and 2.3%) inthe cattle and buffaloes. Thecase fatality ofBEFV inbovines was12.25%. There wasasignificant effect ofthe risk factors like thebreed, age, sex, lactation, housing and region on theBEFV prevalence. This is thefirst comprehensive study ofBEFV inPakistan.