A serum epidemiological investigation of Tibetan sheep plague in Qinghai Province / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective In order to acquaint with the prevalence of Tibetan sheep plague in this area, we conducted a serum epidemiological investigation of Tibetan sheep plague in Qinghai Province. Methods Indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) and colloidal gold immunochromatography (GICA) were applied to test serum samples of Tibetan sheep and whole blood samples from jugular vein of Tibetan sheep were collected in 8 Prefectures of Qinghai Province from 2013 to 2016. Results A total of 86 positive Tibetan sheep serum samples with plague F1 antibody were detected by both methods, and the positive rate was 0.68％ (86/12710), the samples collected in Xinghai County Hainan Prefecture had the highest positive rate, which was 5.20％ (27/519). The Haixi Prefecture and Yushu Prefecture were historical epidemic areas, the positive rates were 0.65％(15/2313) and 0.26％(6/2293), respectively. Hainan Prefecture, Guoluo Prefacture and Huangnan Prefecture were newly confirmed epidemic areas, the positive rates were 1.61％ (28/1741), 1.01％ (15/1481), and 1.44％(19/1316), respectively. The antibody titers were 1:20 to 1:5120, the samples collected in Maqin County Guoluo Prefecture had the highest titer, namely 1 :5120. Conclusions In Qinghai Province, Tibetan sheep plague is endemic, and there are outbreaks in some regions. So we have to enhance the Tibetan sheep plague monitoring especially in Marmot plague epidemic area.