SEROPREVALENCE OF MAEDI-VISNA VIRUS INFECTION AMONG SHEEP, IN BASRAH-IRAQ

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Internal and Preventive Medicine Department, Veterinary Medicine College, Basrah University, Basrah-Iraq.

2 Department of Internal and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Basrah University, Iraq;

Abstract

Maedi Visna virus (MVV) can infect sheep to cause respiratory findings. The infected sheep carry the virus for their life or may end by death. The study aimed to find the prevalence of MVV in Basrah during the period from October 2023 to March 2024. Serum samples were collected from 400 sheep in four distinct regions, and the clinical findings were recorded. The examination of samples verified the existence of antibodies counter to MVV by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). The study results revealed the prevalence of MVV in sheep (5.5%). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of infection among different regions (P˃0.05). The antibodies against MVV were reported in 5% males and 5.6% females, with no significant differences in the infection between them. The infection rate of MVV differed significantly according to the age of the animals, where the highest infection rate was reported in animals older than 3 years (10.7%) and those aged 1-3 years (5.3%), while there was no infection reported in animals younger than one year of age (P≤0.05). The infection rate was significantly different according to body score condition. The highest infected rate was reported in animals with poor body condition (10.8%). The disease was also present in animals with medium-bodied conditions (5.3%). However, the infection was not reported in animals of good body condition. There are significant differences in the rate of infection in relation to body score conditions.

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