CLINICAL SIGNS, SEROPREVALENCE AND SEROTYPE COMPARISON OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS IN MIXED HERDS IN GOMBE STATE

Abstract

Small ruminants (Sheep and Goats) constitutes a significant revenue generation component for small-scale livestock farmers across the globe especially in most developing nations including Nigeria. However, the role of small ruminant animals in FMD epidemiology in the study area is still underestimated and poorly understood. FMD causes severe economic losses due to reduced productivity, trade restrictions, and control measures. This study was aimed at investigating the seroprevalence and epidemiological role of small ruminants in foot and mouth disease transmission in mixed herds in Gombe State, Nigeria. The clinical signs of FMD observed in sheep and goats in the present study were inappetence, panting, pyrexia (≥40 °C), distress, congestion of mucus membrane and lameness. In addition, in sheep there were vesicular lesions in the inter-digital cleft and on the bulb of the heels. Temperature of Small ruminant suspected to be infected with FMDV showed a mean value of 40.2^oC. A total of six hundred and thirty (630) sera samples were collected and subjected to Bio vet^® FMDV NSP-3B bELISA kit (multi-species). The result showed that out of 630 sera tested, 71 (41.0%) of sheep, 40 (41.2%) of goats and 230 (63.9) of cattle were evident of NSP-FMD antibodies. FMD structural protein serotypes, A, O and SAT 2 was screened using a solid-phase competitive ELISA (ID Screen ®) for FMDV serotype O and IZSLER: Brascia, Italy for FMDV serotype A and SAT2 respectively   75% of goats were serotype A positive, 60%  of cattle were positive for serotype SAT2 and 80% of sheep were serotype O positive. In conclusion, the high seropositivity of small ruminants to FMD observed in this study may be associated with non-vaccination of small ruminants which is a salient signal to infection and viremia. This poses a great risk to indigenous cattle as the small ruminants lead the cattle on their trek routes. We recommended that movement-controlled measure and the use of multivalent vaccines comprising the three local circulating serotypes as the control option.