PPR virus infection on sheep in blacksea region of Turkey: epidemiology and diagnosis by RT-PCR and virus isolation.

In this study, a totally 164 materials (lung, spleen, lymph node, nasal and ocular swap, blood and samples from oral lesions) from sheep and lambs (n = 57) in the 34 flocks suspected the PPRV infection as clinically and macroscopic pathologic remarks, housed in the 4 different provinces in the Middle and Eastern Blacksea Region were used for RT-PCR and virus isolation. Additionally, serum samples randomly collected from 892 sheep were tested for the detection of PPRV seroprevalance in the same regions. The seroprevalance were estimated as 14,9% and 3,5-38,2% in the sampled animals and sampled province, respectively. While no virus isolated in Vero cell cultures, PPRV nucleic acid was detected in 26 of 164 materials by RT-PCR. According to the result of RT-PCR, the PPRV infection were diagnosed in 44,1% (15/34) and 31,5% (18/57) of the flocks and sampled animals, respectively. Diagnostic value of necropsy materials such as lymph node, spleen, lung and of clinical samples such as nasal swap and conjunctival swap were determined more valuable diagnostic materials in the diagnosis of PPRV infection by RT-PCR. Data showed that PPRV infection was widespread in the Middle and East Blacksea Region and that the prevalence of the infection in the region varies in accordance with the factors such as geographical conditions (climate, etc.) and the method of breeding. Additionally, it is determined that RT-PCR is sensitive and reliable method in the diagnosis of PPRV infection.