The role of goats as reservoir hosts for bovine herpes virus 1 under field conditions.

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV1) is the cause of economically significant viral infections in cattle. Respiratory symptoms associated with the infection are known as Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR). Sheep and goats are less sensitive to the infection although their role in inter-species viral transmission under field conditions is subject to controversy. The objective of this study was to investigate seroprevalence of BoHV1 infections in cattle, sheep, and goats raised together for at least a year. Blood serum samples were taken from 226 cattle, 1.053 sheep, and 277 goats from 17 small- to medium-scale farms. BoHV1-specific antibody presence and titers were determined using virus neutralization test. In total, 73 of the 226 cattle (32.3%) were seropositive. The infection was detected in 13 of the 17 farms. Infection rates ranged from 5.8 to 88.8%. Only one of the 1053 sheep (0.09%) was seropositive. However, 58 of the 277 (20.9%) goats were seropositive. Goat samples taken from 8 of the 17 farms were seropositive with infection rates ranging from 17 to 38.9%. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation in infection rates between cattle and goats but not sheep. These results suggest that goats may be more sensitive to the BHV1 infection than sheep and the role of goats as possible reservoirs for BoHV1 in the control and eradication of BHV1 in cattle should be considered in future studies.

The first serological evidence for Rift Valley fever infection in the camel, goitered gazelle and Anatolian water buffaloes in Turkey.

Rift valley fever (RVF), a vector-borne zoonotic disease, is caused by a phlebovirus (family Bunyaviridae). The virus was initially characterized approximately 80 years ago in Kenya and disseminated to many countries in the continental Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The infection has not been reported in Turkey. In this study, blood serum samples collected from camel (Camelus dromedairus), goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa), and buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis linneaus) from 2000 to 2006 were investigated for RVF using C-ELISA. Camel samples (n = 72) were obtained from private small enterprises in Aydin province in theAegean region. Gazella samples (82) were taken from the biggest captive gazelle herd in Sanliurfa province in the southeast Anatolia. Buffalo samples were collected mostly from small private family type farms in Afyon (168), Amasya (80), Samsun (69), Ankara (35), Sivas (21), Tokat (19), Konya (10), and Elazig (8) provinces in the central, north, west, and east Anatolia. All of the gazella samples were negative; whereas, one of the 71 camel samples (1.3%) was positive for RVF-specific antibodies. Buffalos from Sivas, Tokat, Konya, and Elazig provinces were negative. However, 35 of the 410 samples (8.5%) from rural areas in the following four provinces were positive: Amasya (12/80, 15%), Ankara (5/35, 14.2%), Samsun (8/69, 11.5%), and Afyon (10/168, 5.9%). To our knowledge, this is the first report of presence of RVF infection in Turkey.

The serological and virological investigation of canine adenovirus infection on the dogs.

Two types of Canine Adenovirus (CAVs), Canine Adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1), the virus which causes infectious canine hepatitis, and Canine Adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), which causes canine infectious laryngotracheitis, have been found in dogs. In this study, blood samples taken from 111 dogs, which were admitted to the Internal Medicine Clinic of Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with clinical symptoms. Seventy-seven dogs were sampled from Isparta and Burdur dog shelters by random sampling, regardless of the clinical findings. Dogs showed a systemic disease, characterized by fever, diarrhea, vomiting, oculonasal discharge, conjunctivitis, severe moist cough, signs of pulmonary disease and dehydration. Two dogs had corneal opacity and photophobia. In serological studies, 188 serum samples were investigated on the presence of CAV antibodies by ELISA. Total 103 (103/188-54.7%) blood samples were detected to be positive for CAV antibodies by ELISA. However, 85 (85/188-45.2%) blood samples were negative. Blood leukocyte samples from dogs were processed and inoculated onto confluent monolayers of MDCK cells using standard virological techniques. After third passage, cells were examined by direct immunoflourescence test for virus isolation. But positive result was not detected. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrates the high prevalence of CAV infection in dogs.

Effects of bovine viral diarrhoea virus on the fertility of cows.

The aim of the present study was to determine the possible relationship between bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus infection and the appearance of cervical mucous discharge (CMD) and the reproductive performance of cows in oestrus. For this purpose, CMD from 97 Holstein cows in oestrus was evaluated visually before artificial insemination (AI). Cows in oestrus were inseminated with frozen semen free from BVD virus (BVDV). Blood samples were tested by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) for antigen (Ag) and antibodies (Ab) of BVDV. The presence of the BVDV genome in cervical mucus samples was tested by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The presence of BVDV Ab, Ag or genome was not associated with abnormal cervical mucous discharge (A-CMD). However, the presence of BVDV Ag (but not of the BVDV Ab) in blood samples was associated with a lower first service conception rate (FSCR; 27.8 vs. 70.9%; P < 0.01), indicating that BVDV viraemia at the time of AI has a negative effect on the fertility of cows.