THE ROLE OF SMALL RUMINANTS IN THE EPIZOOTIOLOGY OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN SAUDI ARABIA WITH REFERENCE TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE DISEASE ON SHEEP AND GOATS

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 National Agriculture and Water Research Center, Ministry of Agriclture and Water, Saudi Arabia

2 Dept. of Foot and Mouth Diseases, Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Small ruminants represent the main population of domestic animals in Saudi Arabia. Serological surveys carried out in the main 5 Regions of the Kingdom (represent 15 Saudi provinces) revealed that infection with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus is nation-wide among sheep and goats. Clinical FMD in small ruminants is not common and the disease was currently reported in some provinces of the Kingdom. However, serological findings indirectly indicate that subclinical infection with FMD virus is more common. A total of 99 FMD viruses (92 type 0, 6 type A and one type Asia 1) were isolated from clinically affected sheep and goats in herds exposed to FMD outbreaks. 21 serotype O FMD virus carrier strains were isolated from sheep and goats raised in close contact to 3 different dairy farms. The carrier strains revealed close antigenic relationship to the type o viruses that caused outbreaks in the neighbouring dairy farms. The epizootiological aspects of the obtained results in correlation to the possibilities of small ruminants in transmitting FMD virus to the different Regions of the Kingdom as well as to the dairy farms are interpreted. In addition, some preliminary data on the economic losses caused by FMD among small ruminants is also discussed. A proposal for initiating small ruminants control programme for FMD in Saudi Arabia is suggested.

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