Seroprevalence of Peste des petits ruminants in cattle and buffaloes from Southern Peninsular India.

This study describes seroprevalence of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in cattle and buffaloes carried out during the period 2009-2010 using the randomly collected serum samples from different parts of Southern peninsular India. The report presents the results of PPR virus (PPRV)-specific antibodies in situations where either the subclinical or inapparent or non-lethal infection was there in cattle and buffaloes. A total of 2,548 serum samples [cattle = 1,158, buffaloes = 1,001, sheep = 303 and goat = 86] were collected and screened for PPRV antibodies by using a PPR monoclonal antibody-based competitive ELISA kit. Analysis of 2,159 serum samples indicates an overall 4.58% prevalence of PPRV antibody in cattle and buffaloes. The presence of PPRV-specific antibodies demonstrates that cattle and buffaloes are exposed to PPR infection naturally, and the transmission mode may be direct or indirect. Further, it implies the importance of bovines as subclinical hosts for the virus besides widespread presence of the disease in sheep and goats in the country.