Detection of Peste des petits ruminants virus by RT-PCR and characterization by RFLP profile

The present study was undertaken to standardizing and applying the novel Nucleocapsid (N) gene based RT-PCR, for diagnosis of PPR. Further, an attempt was made to access possible genetic variation among the field and vaccine PPRVs by RFLP profile. A total of 46 clinical samples from 31 goats suspected of PPRV from middle Gujarat and, reference vaccine were processed for detection of PPRV by RT-PCR using N-gene specific primer pair N1-N2. Reference vaccine virus as well as fifteen (32.61%) of the 46 clinical samples, including fourteen blood samples and one nasal swab, produced the desired amplion of 463 bp with primer pair N1-N2. PCR products were further digested with two restriction enzymes PstI and AluI for RFLP analysis. PCR products of clinical samples and the reference vaccine virus produced similar RFLP patterns with each of the two REs, indicating absence of genetic variation at the corresponding restriction sites of these two REs.