Wild Small Ruminants Research Articles

Phylogenetic analysis of three orf virus strains isolated from different districts in Shandong Province, East China.

Orf virus (ORFV) is the causative agent of contagious ecthyma, which is a zoonotic disease that affects sheep, goats, wild small ruminants and humans. Shandong Province in East China is one of the main producing areas in China for sheep and goats. Here, we conducted epidemiological surveys in different areas in this Province, isolated three orf virus strains, SDLC, SDTA and SDJN, from goat flocks and then analyzed the genetic evolution of these strains. The ORFV011, ORFV059, ORFV109, ORFV110 and ORFV127 genes of these three strains were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ORFV011 of the SDLC and SDTA strains cluster together with the Gansu, Liaoning, Shanxi, Nantou, Hoping and FJ-YX strains, while SDJN clusters with the FJ-GS and FJ-GO strains. ORFV059 of the SDLC and SDTA strains cluster together with the FJ-YX strain, while SDJN clusters with the FJ-GS and FJ-GO strains. ORFV059 and ORFV127 of these three strains were similar to those of the OV-SA00 strain. The results suggested that SDLC, SDTA and SDJN originated from Fujian Province and formed a complex group of viruses in Shandong Province. As the role of ORFV127 gene responsible for the immune evasion of ORFV, the pathogenesis of these three virus strains may similar to that of OV-SA00. These three strains first isolated in Shandong Province are novel ORFV strains, and the data reported here will be helpful for further research about ORFV and its comprehensive prevention and control.

Detection and confirmation of PPR virus antigen in sheep and goats by sandwich-ELISA and RT-PCR in Andhra Pradesh, India

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild small ruminants. Rapid and accurate laboratory assay are essential to enable the implementation of appropriate control strategies to restrict the spread of PPR. The present study was designed to detect the PPR virus (PPRV) antigen (N-gene) in nasal swabs and tissue samples. A total of 195 samples comprising of 138 nasal swabs from PPR suspected sheep (n=72) and goats (n=66), and 57 tissue samples comprising of lymph nodes from dead sheep (n=39) and goats (n=18) were collected from certain parts of Andhra Pradesh. The samples were subjected to sandwich-ELISA followed by RT-PCR for confirmatory diagnosis. In this study, PPRV could be detected in 27.53% (n=38/138) nasal swabs and 49.12% (n=28/57) tissue samples. Data showed that PPRV infection is widespread in the Andhra Pradesh, India.

Influence of combined grazing by wild boar and small ruminant on soil and plant nutrient contents in a coppice oak forest

AbstractLimited information is available about the impact of grazing on soil and plant nutrient contents in Mediterranean deciduous oak forests grazed by both livestock and wild life. Thus, the main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of wild boar and small ruminants grazing in a coppice oak forest in N Greece. Eight even‐aged stands of similar canopy cover and site quality were selected: four stands with long‐time grazing mainly by wild boar and four stands with long‐time grazing by sheep and goats. A plot of 150 m2in each of the stands was fenced in order to be protected from grazing. A similarly sized plot open to grazing was assigned next to the fenced plot. Species composition was recorded in fenced and grazed plots. Soil samples and individual plants of the dominant palatable grass speciesDactylis glomerata andBrachypodium sylvaticumwere collected in every fenced and grazed plot. These samples were analysed for contents of nutrients. The results indicated that grazing increased organic matter, C, and total N, P and Ca, while it had no effect on the plant nutrients Mg, Na, K and all micronutrients, and pH as well. Wild boar grazing had a significantly negative impact on the concentrations of Na, Fe, Zn, and Mn in the soil. Beside a decrease in K and Mn, grazing had minimal effects on the contents of plant nutrients. Conversely, wild boar grazing increased the contents of several nutrients such as N, Na, Cu and Fe in plant tissue. It seems that species composition was more affected by the topography and management than by the soil features as revealed by RDA analysis. The results of this study indicate that it is important to maintain moderate small ruminant grazing intensity for the sustainable multi‐disciplinary management of coppice oak forests. It is also important to control wild boar population in order to facilitate ecosystem process, soil preservation and forage quality.

Assessment of seroconversion to a peste des petits ruminants virus live vaccine in Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx)

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), caused by the PPR virus (PPRV), a Morbillivirus from the family Paramyxoviridae , is a well-recognised disease of small ruminants (Gibbs and others 1979) of...

Role of Wild Small Ruminants in the Epidemiology of Peste Des Petits Ruminants

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) causes one of the most contagious and highly infectious respiratory diseases in sheep and goats known as peste des petits ruminants (PPR). Reports of outbreaks of PPR in captive and wild small ruminants have extended the known spectrum of susceptible species to include antelopes. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleoprotein and fusion genes indicates that all PPRVs isolated from wild ungulate outbreaks belong to lineage IV. While it is clear that a number of wildlife species are susceptible to infection, the role of wildlife in the epidemiology of PPR remains uncertain. The available information about the occurrence of disease in free-ranging wildlife is mainly derived from surveys based on serological evidence. Data on the genetic nature of circulating PPRV strains are scarce. Given the scope of PPR in wild ungulates that are widespread in many countries, current disease surveillance efforts are inadequate and warrant additional investment. This is crucial because domestic and wild ruminants mingle together at several points, allowing inter-species transmission of PPRV. There is no reason to believe that PPRV circulates in wild animals and acts as a potential source of virus for domestic species. Irrespective of the possibility of wild small ruminants as the reservoir of PPRV, concerns about the role of susceptible species of antelopes need to be addressed, due to the fact that the disease can pose a serious threat to the survival of endangered species of wild ruminants on the one hand and could act as a constraint to the global eradication of PPR on the other hand. In this review, knowledge gained through research or surveillance on the sustainability of PPRV in wild ruminants is discussed.

Characterization of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus, Eritrea, 2002–2011

Characterization of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus, Eritrea, 2002–2011

Looking back: a genetic retrospective study of Brazilian Orf virus isolates

Orf virus (ORFV), the prototype of the genus Parapoxvirus, is the aetiological agent of contagious ecthyma (CE), a pustular dermatitis that afflicts domestic and wild small ruminants. CE is one...

Molecular biology of foamy viruses

One of the most fascinating areas in retrovirology is the study of foamy viruses (FVs), because these viruses appear to do everything that is common to all other retroviruses differently. FVs have found a completely new way to propagate their genome. And they do this extremely successfully because most of wild non-human primates, felines, bovines, equines, and small ruminants are likely to be non-pathogenically infected. The success of FVs can also be viewed from a different angle, since they replicate very conservatively and do not need to shape their genotypic and phenotypic makeup every now and then. The elucidation of the underlying basic mechanisms of the FV replication strategy is the topic of this review.

Diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of Orf virus from goats in China: a case report

BackgroundOrf virus (ORFV) is the etiological agent of contagious pustular dermatitis and is the prototype of the genus Parapoxvirus (PPV). It causes a severe exanthematous dermatitis that afflicts domestic and wild small ruminants.Case presentationIn the present study, an outbreak of proliferative dermatitis in farmed goats. The presence of ORFV in tissue scrapings from the lips was confirmed by B2L gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The molecular characterization of the ORFV was performed using PCR amplification, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the B2L gene.ConclusionThe results of this investigation indicated that the outbreak was caused by infection with an ORFV that was closely related genetically to Nantou (DQ934351), which was isolated from the Tai wan province of China and Hoping (EU935106), which originated from South Korea in 2008. This is the first report of the phylogenetic analysis of ORFV from goats in China.

SRLVs: A Genetic Continuum of Lentiviral Species in Sheep and Goats with Cumulative Evidence of Cross Species Transmission

Lentiviruses from distinct animal species have in common their genomic organization, the induction of slowly progressive diseases over months or years, the large spectrum of induced symptoms and concerned organs, the frequent inapparent infection without any detectable clinical signs, their ability to persist into their hosts despite an often strong and mature immune response. Lentiviruses are also characterized by their genomic plasticity and the rapid evolution of the viral species. SRLVs infecting goats and sheep follow a genomic evolution pattern similar to that observed in HIV or in other lentiviruses. Based on limited number of complete sequences, they have been initially described as two distinct genetic groups evolving independently in sheep or goats, the ovine strains being closely related to each other and distinct from the caprine ones. Over the last 2 decades, the description of many partial or complete sequences of caprine and ovine field isolates from various geographical regions and their phylogenetic studies clearly evidenced the existence of a genetic continuum with viruses that did not simply clustered according to the animal species they were isolated from. Three classifications have been successively proposed and allowed to refine the SRLV phylogeny over time. Phylogenetic reconstructions support the existence of SRLV cross-species transmission in domestic and wild small ruminants.

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of Orf virus from sheep in Brazil: a case report

BackgroundOrf virus (ORFV), the prototype of the genus Parapoxvirus (PPV), is the etiological agent of contagious ecthyma, a severe exanthematic dermatitis that afflicts domestic and wild small ruminants. Although South American ORFV outbreaks have occurred and diagnosed there are no South American PPV major membrane glycoprotein B2L gene nucleotide sequences available.Case presentationan outbreak of ovine contagious ecthyma in Midwest Brazil was investigated. The diagnosis was based on clinical examinations and molecular biology techniques. The molecular characterization of the virus was done using PCR amplification, cloning and DNA sequencing of the B2L gene. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a high degree of identity with ORFV strains, and the isolate was closest to the ORFV-India 82/04 isolate. Another Brazilian ORFV isolate, NE1, was sequenced for comparative analysis and also showed a high degree of identity with an Asian ORFV strain.ConclusionDistinct ORFV strains are circulating in Brazil. This is the first report on the phylogenetic analysis of an ORFV in South America.

Pesti Des Petits ruminants virus infection in animals

For centuries morbillivirus infections have had a huge impact on both human beings and animals. Morbilliviruses are highly contagious pathogens that cause some of the most devastating viral diseases of humans and animals world wide. They include measles virus (MV), canine distemper virus (CDV), rinderpest virus (RPV) and peste des petits ruminants (PPRV) virus. Furthermore, new emerging infectious diseases of morbilliviruses with significant ecological consequences of marine mammals have been discovered in the past decades. Phocid distemper virus (PDV) in seals and the cetacean morbillivirus (CMV) have been found in dolphins, whales and porpoises. Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious ,infectious , an acute or sub acute viral disease of domestic and wild small ruminants characterized by fever, oculonasal discharges, stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. Goats are more severely affected than sheep. It is also known as pseudorinderpest of small ruminants, pest of small ruminants, pest of sheep and goats, kata, stomatitis- pneumoentritis syndrome, contagious pustular stomatitis and pneumoentritis complex. It is one of the major notifiable diseases of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Full genome sequences of two virulent strains of peste-des-petits ruminants virus, the Côte d’Ivoire 1989 and Nigeria 1976 strains

Peste-des-petits ruminants virus (PPRV) causes acute febrile illness in both farmed and wild small ruminants, with associated mortality rates of 50–80%. PPRV is a member of the Morbillivirus genus within the Paramyxovirus family and although there are many full length genome sequences available for members of this family, their availability for PPRV in particular is limited. We have determined the full length sequences representing two virulent strains of PPRV, the Côte d’Ivoire 1989 (CI/89) and Nigeria 1976 (Ng76/1) strains. We present an alignment of the promoter regions of these viruses with other available PPRV promoter sequences and have identified domains in PPRV proteins believed to be critical for paramyxovirus promoter attenuation. We have also analysed the proteins of these viruses, comparing them to other available PPRV protein sequences and identified motifs that were previously recognised as being required for the function of other paramyxovirus proteins.

Small ruminant lentivirus proviral sequences from wild ibexes in contact with domestic goats

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) are widespread amongst domesticated goats and sheep worldwide, but have not been clearly identified in wild small ruminants, where they might constitute an animal health risk through contamination from local domesticates. SRLV proviruses from three ibexes from the French Alps are described and sequences from their gag gene and long terminal repeats (LTRs) were compared with sequences from local goats and goat/ibex hybrids. The ibex and hybrid proviruses formed a closely related group with <2 % nucleotide difference. Their LTRs were clearly distinct from those of local goats or reference SRLV sequences; however, their gag sequences resembled those from one local goat and reference sequences from caprine arthritis encephalitis virus rather than visna/maedi virus. One SRLV-positive ibex from a distant site shared similarities with the other ibexes studied in both its gag and LTR sequences, suggesting that a distinct SRLV population could circulate in some wild ibex populations.

Incidence of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus in sheep and goat as detected by immuno-capture ELISA (Ic ELISA)

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild small ruminants. Rapid, sensitive and specific laboratory assay is useful to enable timely implementation of appropriate control to restrict the spread of disease. The present study reports observations from 50 laboratory confirmed outbreaks of PPR and provides details of the presence or otherwise of PPR virus (PPRV) in 427 tissue/organ samples from small ruminants. Most of the samples used for the detection of PPR viral antigen were derived from all major regions within the country; however, these samples may not be a true representation of the target population still it provided a lot more information. Monoclonal antibody-based diagnostic kit manufactured by Biological Diagnostic Supplies Ltd., Flow Laboratories and Institute for Animal Health Pirbright, Surrey, England, were used for the detection of PPR viral antigen (immuno-capture ELISA). Findings suggested that the disease outbreaks were more severe in goats than sheep and the frequency of disease outbreaks was greater between the months of January to April as compared to other periods of the year and it was maximum in month of March (almost 33%). Based on the data of 50 outbreaks (427 samples), the prevalence of PPR in small ruminants in Pakistan was 40.98%. A greater number of positive cases were observed in the southern and northern parts of the country (30–60%) as compared to west and south-west (10–30%). These findings may be correlated with variations in the sheep and goat husbandry practices within different geographic regions and the topography of different areas. The study indicated the scenario of virus circulation in the population and prevalence in actual outbreaks situation, which may be kept in mind while deciding the vaccination strategy for the control of disease.

Control of Peste des Petits Ruminants and Poverty Alleviation?

SummaryPeste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a contagious and often fatal viral disease of sheep and goats and also wild small ruminants. The PPR virus is distinct from but closely related to rinderpest virus and both belong to the morbivillivirus genus within the family Paramyxoviridae. PPR is a contagious transboundary disease with a significant impact on rural poor farmers. Its control should therefore be considered in programs that aim at alleviating poverty in developing countries.

Clinical and Para‐clinical Findings of a Recent Outbreaks of Peste des Petits Ruminants in Iran

SummaryPeste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and infectious viral disease of domestic and wild small ruminants characterized by fever, erosive stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. Goats are usually more severely affected than sheep. Peste des petits ruminants is caused by a paramyxovirus of the Morbillivirus genus. In March 2004, a flock of sheep in Tehran province with 430 deaths was visited. According to the history taken from the owner, at disease onset most of the deaths were recorded from adult sheep, 3 weeks later lambs (2 weeks to 4 months of age) showed the highest death rate. All animals from 3 months age received rinderpest vaccine 1 month after onset. Many of the lambs died just a few hours after their first sucking of the colostrum from infected mothers. Most of them showed very acute form of disease and died a few hours after onset of clinical signs. In clinical examinations most of the cases showed severe depression, high fever (41°C), anorexia, mocopulurent nasal discharge, erosive and necrotic stomatitis (dental path, hard palate and cheeks), diarrhoea and dehydration. Para‐clinical findings including histopathological, serological and haematological examinations also confirmed the presence of PPR in this flock. PPR outbreaks have been frequent in Iran in recent years. Further, we suggest that PPR is not a recent invader of Iran. The main difference in clinical signs between this outbreak and the same in other reports is that goats did not show any obvious signs of PPR. This might be due to the number of the goats (&gt;1% of the flock) and keeping them separate from the sheep. The present article reviews the details of this outbreak in Iran.

Nutritional characteristics of browse species from Northeastern Mexico consumed by small ruminants

SummaryMany browse plants that grow in northeastern Mexico are consumed by domestic and wild range small ruminants. However, their nutritional value is determined by their chemical composition and digestibility. Chemical composition depends on the nature of the plant, but climatic conditions determine leaf maturity. Thus, studies to estimate the seasonality of the nutrient profiles of forages from shrubs are necessary. This paper has the objective to discuss the nutrient profiles and the organic matter digestion from the forage of 32 browse plants (13 legumes and 19 non legumes), that grow in northeastern México, and which are consumed by range small ruminants. Browses such as Acacia berlandieri (L.) Wild Acacia rigidula Benth., Ziziphus obtusifolia T and G., Desmanthus virgathus L. and Cercidium macrum I.M. Johnst. are the most abundant in the range, and also are the most selected by ruminants. The seasonal crude protein (CP) content in browse species varied within a range of 4.0 to 22.0%. The cell wall (from 24 to 53%) and its components: cellulose (from 5 to 31%) and hemicellulose (from 2 to 28%) also varied, and in most evaluated shrubs were lower than Medicago sativa hay. Seasonal lignin content also varied among plants species (from 1 to 24%; annual mean), and was higher than Medicago sativa hay. Condensed tannins were low and seasonally variable in most plants (from 0 to 23%). In general, during winter OMD (ranging from 30 to 68%) was higher than in other seasons. Lignin and condensed tannins negatively affected OMD (r = -0.40; P&lt;0.01 and r = -0.53; P&lt;0.001, respectively). The most selected shrubs were those with the highest tannin content. All plants were low in P and Na relative to the needs of adult goats, sheep and white-tailed deer. It is concluded that the chemical composition and OMD of browse plants were very similar among seasons. Because of their high CP, low cell wall, high mineral content and OMD in all plants, these could be considered as good protein supplements for range small grazing ruminants. However, they must be supplemented with P and Na throughout the year.

Sarcoptic mange in Spanish ibex from Spain.

The Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) population of the "Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas" Nature Park (Spain) was isolated as the result of a severe epidemic of sarcoptic mange. In this context, the dynamic characteristics of the disease were analyzed in a wild group consisting of 35 animals from the beginning of the epizootic (when the mating period started) to the extinction of the population due to mange. Monthly tracking permitted the sequential characterization of the pathology in each animal. The duration of the disease was 2 to 3 mo, evolving to severe disease and terminating in death. Incidence and prevalence rates in terms of morbidity and severity, and mortality and lethality were calculated. At the end of the mating season, 81% of the population were affected. There were no statistically significant differences in severity of the disease across sex or age categories of the animals. Most of the carcasses were found in caves used as refuge and/or near rivers or streams. Additionally, 46 of the 63 (73%) ibex captured in different areas of the nature park were naturally infected with the Sarcoptes scabiei. Infected ibex were examined for number of mites during the initial stage of the disease (n = 3), in the development stage (n = 12), in the consolidation stage (n = 17), and in the chronic stage (n = 14). The prevalence of mites in different anatomical regions was determined in each of these phases of the infection. A histological study of the skin lesions was conducted in 22 animals. Both the clinical and the pathological (macroscopic and microscopic) aspects of the sarcoptic mange in Spanish ibex corresponded to the classic description of sarcoptic mange in other wild and domestic small ruminants.