1Division of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Jammu, R.S. Pura-181 102, Jammu and Kashmir, India
2Division of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, R.S. Pura-181 102, Jammu and Kashmir, India
3Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Central Agricultural University, Selesih, Aizawl-796 001, Mizoram, India
4Division of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, R.S. Pura-181 102, Jammu and Kashmir, India
*Corresponding Author: Nawab Nashiruddullah, Division of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Jammu, R.S. Pura-181 102, Jammu and Kashmir, India, Email: nawabn1@rediffmail.com
Online published on 22 July, 2021.
In view of the limited documentation of sheep and goat pox disease in animals of Jammu region, it was felt necessary to conduct a blanket screening of the small ruminant populations in areas where they are largely reared.
The investigation was conducted to study the occurrence of capripox infection amongst small ruminants through clinical survey and confirmatory laboratory diagnosis. PCR amplification of a part of the P32 core protein gene successfully confirmed Capripoxvirus (CaPV) in clinical scab samples from both sheep and goats and from inoculated CAM. Positive amplified samples yielded a predicted 192 bp product.
Sequencing of the partial P32 gene of one isolate each from sheep (Sheeppoxvirus, SPPV) and goat origin (Goatpoxvirus, GTPV) revealed that each isolate were distinct and showed 97.8% identity with each other. The SPPV clustered with respective sheeppox cluster with 100% homology to with other SPPV strains reported within India and abroad and also to vaccine strains Srinagar and Rumanian-Fanar (RF). The GTPV was closely identical (~98–99%) with other strains from India and abroad with some unique residues of its own. Both the SPPV and GTPV were divergent from Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) strains. The sequence of SPPV strain being similar to circulating strains and prevalent vaccines in the country favours a common vaccination strategy. However, specific GTPV vaccine is not available in the country. The circulating CaPV isolates were found to be host specific. The possibility of vaccination failures or disease caused by vaccines itself, or cross transmission between hosts cannot be ruled out and in such instances it becomes difficult to distinguish with natural disease.
Capripoxvirus (CaPV), Goatpoxvirus (GTPV), P32 gene, Pathology, Phylogeny, Sheeppoxvirus (SPPV)
