Partial molecular characterization of peste des petits ruminants virus in goats of Ngorongoro district, Tanzania
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Date
2014
Authors
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Livestock sector in the South African Development Community (SADC) accounts for 20
to 40% of agricultural gross domestic products holding high social values of the rural
communities in the region of which 60% of the population depend on livestock. However,
the sector is hampered by a multitude of economically important diseases including peste
des petits ruminants (PPR). The disease is an acute highly contagious viral disease of
domestic and wild ruminants caused by PPR virus (PPRV). It was first reported in West
Africa in 1940s and confined there for decades. Afterwards, PPR spread to several other
parts of the world including Asia and Europe. In Tanzania, PPR was officially reported in
2008 in the northern zone and in 2011 it was reported in the southern zone. The present
study was conducted in Ngorongoro District of northern Tanzania to confirm the
continued presence of PPRV and to partially characterize the PPRV circulating in northern
Tanzania. A total of 28 goat samples (tissues, whole blood and swabs) were collected and
analyzed. PPRV was detected in seven goats (25%) in all sample types (blood, tissue and
swabs) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). PPRV nucleotide
(N) gene nucleotide sequence analysis clustered PPRV circulating in northern Tanzania
into linage HI with the percentage nucleotide identity of 95% to isolates from Ethiopia.
Findings from this study indicates that swabs and whole blood are useful clinical samples
for screening of PPRV especially in areas where animals may not exhibit clinical signs
and carcasses are difficult to find. The continued circulation of PPRV in Ngorongoro
District warrants further studies in order to determine whether wild animals serve as
reservoirs of PPR.
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Keywords
Molecular characterization, Peste des petits, Ruminants, Virus in goats