Seroprevelance and molecular detection of peste des petits ruminants in goats of Assam.

The present study was undertaken to detect the presence of PPRV in the goats of Assam. Competitive ELISA and Sandwich ELISA are used to detect the PPR viral antibody and antigen respectively. In addition, the study also involved the assessment of specific gene targets for detection of PPRV by RT-PCR from the clinical samples. A total of 579 sera samples (68.65 % in outbreak samples and 5.29 % in random samples) collected from different parts of Assam were tested by c-ELISA, indicated overall prevalence of 27.28 in goats. The percentage prevalence of PPRV antibodies in sera samples from goats collected at the time of outbreaks were 79.26, 85.41, 58.82, 6, 29.41 and 36.36 % in Kamrup, Nalbari, Mongoldoi, Jorhat, Darrang and Barpeta respectively. However, high percent prevalence (20.83 %) was observed in district Dhubri in random samples. Among the suspected samples, high percent prevalence (85.41 %) was observed in Nalbari. The competition percentage values (ranges from 35 to 45) obtained in competitive ELISA from tested goat samples found three categories, viz. positive, doubtful and negative. Most of the serum samples (n = 158) with competition percentage less than or equal to 35 % are considered positive for the presence of PPRV antibodies, (n = 9) greater than 35 % and less than or equal to 45 % are considered doubtful and retested, and (n = 423) greater than 45 % are considered negative. The overall sensitivity, specificity, apparent prevalence and true prevalence rate was found to be 68.65, 94.70, 27.28 and 34.69 % respectively. True prevalence rate was calculated based on the sensitivity and specificity of the c-ELISA employed in the study, which has a relative specificity of 94.70 % and sensitivity of 68.65 %.