Detection of Cattle Foot and Mouth disease Virus by RT-PCR and ELISA

Abstract

This study was conducted with73 cattle in different region of Basrah governorate with typical clinical symptoms of  FMD from April to July 2013 in Basrah,Iraq.Blood ,saliva and vesicle fluid from the affected animals were collected and tested by ELISA and RT-PCR.Collected sera were tested for antibodies against FMDV using a commercialELISA. Antibodies to FMDV were detected at an overall prevalence rateof 94.5 %. There was no significant seropositivity  ratio variation in relation to sex and age.RT-PCR base detection of FMDV for primary and serotype specific diagnosis was done with( universal primer sets 1F / 1R, A- 1C612 and O- ARS4 ) with expected band of(328 ,865 and1301 bp respectively). Universal primer pair 1F/1R detected FMD in 55 out of 73(75.3%), of these 37 (92.5%) Females and 18 (62.1%) males samples, with high significantstatisticaldifference (p<0.01)between males and females in the PCR  positivity ratio and there was no positivesamples of FMDV Universal primer in suspect seropositive  cases .The tested  samples with positive universal primer  were amplified with  specific primers  A-IC612 in 15( 27.3%) and nil for serotypeO- ARS4.,. The circulation of Serotype A was higher in the males compared to the females with a ratio of 33.3% (6/18)  but this differencewas not statisticaly significant( p > 0.05) .The statistical analysis showed  high significant differences (P>0.01) between animals that tested for Universal primer in relation to age. Out of all animals that tested positive for Universal primer the age group<1-4 year realized a ratio of 58.6 %while ratio of age  group >4-8 year was 95%. Serotype A circulation  was not significantly differed (P>0.05) between the tested animals in relation to age with overall ratio 27.3% (15/55) and higher ratio  (31.6%, 12/38) was observed  in the older animals compare  with (17.7%, 3/17)  in younger.