Serological investigations of Peste des Petits Ruminants in cattle of Nepal.

Peste des Petits Ruminant (PPR) is an infectious viral disease of small ruminants caused by PPR virus. Although goat and sheep are the primary hosts of PPR, studies have continuously reported the prevalence of circulating antibodies in large ruminants, which could bring a potential challenge to effectively control and eradicate PPR. In Nepal, seroprevalence of PPRV antibodies in cattle have not been monitored yet. To address this, a total of 255 cattle sera were collected from Rupandehi, Banke, Bara and Chitwan districts of Nepal where outbreak of PPR in small ruminants was reported previously. The sera samples were tested by competitive ELISA and the result indicated the prevalence of 5.88% PPRV antibodies in cattle which indicates the exposure of cattle to PPR virus. To make the disease control program effective, intensive monitoring of both domestic and wild animals is very important.

RNAseq Reveals the Contribution of Interferon Stimulated Genes to the Increased Host Defense and Decreased PPR Viral Replication in Cattle.

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is known to replicate in a wide variety of ruminants causing very species-specific clinical symptoms. Small ruminants (goats and sheep) are susceptible to disease while domesticated cattle and buffalo are dead-end hosts and do not display clinical symptoms. Understanding the host factors that influence differential pathogenesis and disease susceptibility could help the development of better diagnostics and control measures. To study this, we generated transcriptome data from goat and cattle peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) experimentally infected with PPRV in-vitro. After identifying differentially expressed genes, we further analyzed these immune related pathway genes using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) and selected candidate genes were validated using in-vitro experiments. Upon PPRV infection, we identified 12 and 22 immune related genes that were differentially expressed in goat and cattle respectively. In both species, this included the interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) IFI44, IFI6, IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3, ISG15, Mx1, Mx2, OAS1X, RSAD2, IRF7, DDX58 and DHX58 that were transcribed significantly higher in cattle. PPRV replication in goat PBMCs significantly increased the expression of phosphodiesterase 12 (PDE12), a 2',5'-oligoadenylate degrading enzyme that contributes to the reduced modulation of interferon-regulated gene targets. Finally, a model is proposed for the differential susceptibility between large and small ruminants based on the expression levels of type-I interferons, ISGs and effector molecules.

Abortion and various associated risk factors in small ruminants in Algeria.

Identification of the causes of abortion among the huge population of small ruminants in Algeria (≈31 millions heads), is an important task for the control of livestock productivity and viability scourges to the small ruminants industry. Optimal production and utilization is constrained by a number of factors: disease, poor feeding and low management skills. Therefore, in the present study the prevalence of abortion in Algerian small ruminant's flocks was estimated and its possible association was correlated with infectious (PPR, BT and Brucellosis seropositivity) and managerial (flock size, grazing system, type of farming, and contact with other flocks) risk factors. The present study showed an overall flock prevalence of small ruminant's abortion as 75.33% (113/150) [95% CI 71.72-78.94%]. The risk factor analysis using multivariable logistic regression recognized the north-western and the steppe region as well as PPR positivity as a risk factor for abortion in Algerian small ruminant's flocks. The odds of flock abortion was 11.47 [95% CI 2.39-54.88; P=0.002] and 10.31 [95% CI 1.28-82.88; P=0.028] times higher in north-western and steppe regions respectively compared to other region. Also the presence of PPRV infection in small ruminant flocks amplified the odds by 6 times [95% CI 2.221-17.427; P=0.001].Surprisingly, the univariate analysis for the other risk factors associated with abortions in Algerian small ruminant flocks indicated no statistically significant links with bluetongue (P=1.000) and brucellosis seropositivity (P=0.334). Flock size (P=0.574), type of farming (P=0.443), grazing system (P=0.117) and contact with other flocks (P=0.245) was also not statistically significant. Our results revealed that abortion in small ruminants is a challenge to farmers and PPR was chiefly linked to it. Therefore an effective vaccination and control programme is advocated for small ruminants in Algeria.

The pattern of distribution of pneumonic consolidation in experimental peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) and/or Mannheimia Hemolytica Infection in West African dwarf goats / Patrón de distribución de la consolidación pneumónica en infección experimental con virus peste des petits ruminants (PPRV) y/o mannheimia hemolítica en cabras enanas del Oeste Africano

The study into the pattern of distribution of the lung consolidation associated with common viral and bacterial pneumonia and their co-infection in subsaharan goats is scanty in literatures. Fifty apparently healthy West Africa Dwarf goats (WAD) six months of age were used for the experiment. The animals were divided into groups A, B, and C with 15 goats each while 5 goats served as control. Group A goats infected with 1ml of pure culture (1 X 109 CFU) of Mannheimia haemolytica MH A2, while group B with 1ml of pure cultured 106.5 TCID50 PPR virus grown in Baby hamster kidney cell lines and group C with 1 ml of PPRV and a week later 1ml of MH A2. The degree of consolidation or pneumonia as a percentage of the total lung volume was determined by visual observation, palpation and measurement of the lesion which is estimated as a percentage of each lobe. Student t-test were used to test for significant differences. The right lungs have a higher lung consolidation percentage than the left in all the treatment groups. The accessory lobe was affected in the PPRV group. The MH group has the highest lung consolidation percentage (10.1 percent). The PPRV 1-28dpi has the lowest consolidation percentage (1.06 percent). There is significant difference in the consolidation percentage and mortality between MH, PPR+MH, PPRV 28-45 dpi and PPRV 1-28dpi (P<0.05). This observation further show that the right lung and the anterior lobes were more affected in experimental viral and bacterial respiratory pathogen and their co-infection as the trachea birfucation is first to the right and the distance between the right and the left birfucation was 1.5 +/- 0.35cm. It is the first study that describes and compare the pattern of distribution and morphometry of pneumonia in experimental PPRV, MH and PPRV+MH infections in goats.

El estudio sobre el patrón de distribución de la consolidación pulmonar asociada con neumonía virales y bacterianas comunes y sus co-infección en cabras Subsaharianas, es escasa en la literatura. Cincuenta cabras enanas de África occidental (WAD) aparentemente sanas de seis meses de edad fueron utilizados para el experimento. Los animales se dividieron en grupos A, B y C con 15 cabras cada uno mientras que el 5 cabras sirvió como control. Grupo A cabras infectadas con 1 ml de cultivo puro (1 X 109 UFC) de Mannheimia haemolytica MH A2, mientras que el grupo B con 1 ml de cultivo puro 10 6,5 DICT50 PPR cultivado en líneas celulares de riñón de crías de hámsters y el grupo C con 1 ml de PPRV y un semana después de 1 ml de MH A2. El grado de consolidación o neumonía como porcentaje del volumen pulmonar total se determinó por observación visual, palpación y la medición de la lesión que se estima como un porcentaje de cada lóbulo. El test t de Student se utilizaron para probar las diferencias significativas. El pulmón derecho tiene un porcentaje de consolidación pulmonar superior a izquierdo en todos los grupos de tratamiento. El lóbulo accesorio se vio afectado en el grupo de PPRV. El grupo MH tiene el porcentaje más alto de consolidación pulmonar (10,1 por ciento). El PPRV 1-28dpi tiene el menor porcentaje de consolidación (1,06 por ciento). No hay diferencia significativa en el porcentaje de consolidación y la mortalidad entre MH, MH + PPR, PPRV 28-45 dpi y PPRV 1-28dpi (P <0,05). Esta observación muestra además que el pulmón derecho y los lóbulos anteriores se vieron más afectados en infecciones respiratorias patógenas experimentales con agentes virales y bacterianos y su co-infección como la bifurcación traqueal es primero a la derecha y la distancia entre la derecha y la bifurcación izquierda fue de 1,5 +/- 0,35 cm. Es el primer estudio que describe y compara el patrón de distribución y la morfometría de las neumonías en PPRV experimentales, MH y MH + PPRV...