doi:10.5455/vetworld.2013.384-387 Incidence of Peste des petits ruminants in nomadic sheep and goat of Jammu region

Aim: The present study was planned with an aim to access the incidence of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in nomadic sheep and goat of Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) state of India. Materials and Methods:A total of 34 nasal swabs (13 sheep and 21 goats) samples of 13 flocks suspected for PPR infection were screened for presence of PPR virus antigen by PPR sandwich-ELISA kit. Results: The overall incidence of PPR by sandwich ELISA was observed to be 55.55%, with higher incidence in goats (66.66%) than in sheep (35.71%). Location wise incidence of PPR ranged between 33.33-100%. The overall age wise incidence of PPR was highest in young animals of 0-6 months (83.33%), followed by 6-12 months (66.66%) and lowest in adults of >12 months (31.35 %). Whereas month wise incidence of PPR was highest in the month of February. Conclusion: In nut shell it can be concluded that PPR is fairly prevalent in nomadic sheep and goats of Jammu region of J&K state with the evidences of natural transmission of PPR.


Introduction
tests as it can be done in short time, does not require sterile conditions and can be even performed on Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, viral samples which have not been stored under ideal disease of small ruminants caused by a Morbillivirus conditions with diagnostic specificity of 92.8% and belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae [1].In India sensitivity of 88.9 % [11,13] and is now recommended the severity of the disease is more pronounced in goats by OIE for diagnosis of PPR in India [14].However, than sheep with a combined susceptible population of whatever the qualities these new molecular techniques about 200 million [2].In India, first confirmed offers, it is important to note that Virus isolation still outbreak of PPR occurred in village Arasur in remains the gold standard for diagnosis of PPR virus Villapuram district of Tamilnadu in 1987 [3] and after infection [15].that out-breaks were common in southern Peninsular In Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and other subregions in India [4] and now the disease had become Himalayan regions, the migration of nomadic sheep endemic in India [5,6].Transmission of the PPR virus and goats from low altitude pasturelands to high in nature occurs primarily through direct contact with pasturelands in summers and from high altitude to low infected animals and by inhalation of the infectious altitude pasture lands in winters is common [16].These aerosol produced by combination of sneezing and migratory animals may contract PPR infections from coughing.Migratory flocks of nomads have been local flocks or may transmit infection to susceptible thought to be a source of infection of PPR in new areas non-migratory sheep and goats during their migration.

[7,8]. Various techniques like agar gel immune
In J&K number of nomadic communities like diffusion test and hemagglutination were employed to Bakerwals, Gaddies and Chowpans which constitute diagnose the PPR in both infected [9] and experimental about 14% of state's population dependent totally up on infected [10] animals.Although these techniques are these nomadic animals for their livelihood.So the easy to perform but are of little value due to their low present study was conducted with aim to assess the sensitive and specificity [11,12].Currently, a kit incidence of PPR in nomadic sheep and goats of developed by Singh et al. [11] is being used extensively Jammu region of J&K state.for the detection of PPR virus antigen in India [13].The The overall age wise incidence of PPR in sheep of the plate: All the four reference positive (C+) wells and goats was observed to be highest in age group of 0should have OD of at least 0.4 and fall within positive 6 months (83.33%) followed by 6-12 months (66.66%) range, that is OD above the cut off whereas all the four and lowest in >12 months (31.35%).A similar trend reference negative (C-) wells should fall within was observed separately in sheep and goats.Detail in negative range, that is OD below the cut off.
Figure -2.Sex wise analysis of data reveled overall higher Calculation of cut off: For calculation of cut off point, incidence of PPR in females (80%) than males (50%).four antigen blank wells having extreme OD values whereas in sheep the incidence in male and females (two wells of lowest OD values and two wells of was reported to be 33.33% and 40%, respectively, highest OD values) were excluded.The remaining four whereas in case of goats 80% females were positive as wells having intermediate OD values were considered compared to 54.54% males.and the cut off was taken as two times the mean OD of Month wise incidence of PPR was observed these intermediate wells.
highest in February (80%), and lowest in January Samples having more OD than the cut off were (33.33%).Detail in Figure -3.taken as positive, while samples having less OD than the cut off were taken as negative.Further, a sample prevalent in nomadic sheep and goats of Jammu region.Species wise analysis of data reveled higher In state like J&K where about 14% of state's population incidence of PPR infection in goats than sheep.The livelihood is totally dependent on these nomadic present findings are in agreement with the findings of animals the disease like PPR poses a serious threat as it other authors in India, who reported higher incidence can jeopardize the whole sheep and goat husbandry in of PPR in goats than in sheep [7,17].
state because these migratory animals along with other Age wise analysis of data reveled higher interfacing meteorological and agro-eco zones may incidence of PPR in young ones of both species than helping in transmission and maintenance of PPR virus adults.The findings of present study are in agreement in nature.with other who also reported that the incidence of disease is more in young ones [17] than adults and also doi:10.5455/vetworld.2013.384-387Results October 2009 to April 2010.Out of 34 animals suspected for PPR, 19 were Detection of PPR virus antigen: PPR sandwich-ELISA found positive by PPR sandwich ELISA yielding an kit for PPRV antigen detection along with the user overall incidence rate of 55.88% in nomadic sheep and manual was obtained from Rinderpest Laboratory, goats.Whereas species wise out of 21 goats and 13 Division of Virology, IVRI, Mukteswar.The test was sheep tested, 14 goats and 5 sheep were positive, preformed strictly as per the protocol outlined in the yielding an overall incidence of 66.66% in goats which user manual supplied with the kit.The ELISA plates was higher as compared to sheep (35.71%).showing proper color development in control wells District wise analysis of data revealed highest were read at 492 nm in ELISA plate reader (Multiskan incidence of PPR in Samba district with lowest in plus, LabSystem).Udhampur district of Jammu region.Detail in Figure-1.Interpretation of test results: Criteria for acceptance [19]5455/vetworld.2013.384-387werefoundpositive.The findings are in line with that further contribute to nutritional stress and thus of Tiwari [17] who observed an overall incidence of decrease the immunity of animals and contributes in 60% in small selected population of sheep and goats of flaring of disease during these months.Gujarat state.On the other hand, Sreeramalu [18] andConclusionRao et al.[19]reported lower incidence of 30.56 andIn, Nut shell it can be concluded that PPR is fairly 16.00% respective from different parts of India. doi