The present study describes the prevalence of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus antibodies in sheep, goats and camels at Hail, Bagaa, Shenan and Ghazalah, Saudi Arabia. Serum samples (n=400), collected during 2012-2013 from sick and clinically healthy herds, were subjected to antibodies detection using c-ELISA. Out of examined animals, 83 (62.9%) goats and 70 (33.2%) sheep were detected positive against PPRV antibodies, whereas camels appeared to be seronegative. Based upon the seasonal variations in the antibodies detection, environment appeared to be a significant factor on the level of antibodies in the tested small ruminants population. Taken together, results indicate the seropositivity of PPRV in the region and warrant future large-scale surveillance studies to better assess the situation of the disease in the region.

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Sheep pox (SP) and goat pox (GP) outbreaks occurred in the different geographic areas of Sudan and most strikingly, were highly species specific. Two outbreaks in Gedaref State in June 2013 affected no goats and outbreak in Khartoum state in March 2015 affected no sheep despite communal herding; affected goats were vaccinated with 0240 strain. Clinically, the disease was characterized by fever, depression, and eruption of generalized pox lesions. Mortality rate ranged between 5.2% and 6.7% with a mean of 6.1%. Isolation of viruses succeed on lamb testes cell culture at passage four; the diseases were diagnosed using virus neutralization test and polymerase chain reaction. SP and GP isolates grew well in lamb testes and vero cells. In Madin-Darby bovine kidney; however, both viruses induced slight cytopathic effect (CPE) that reached 60% in 9 days. On the other hand, both isolates induced no CPE in chick embryo fibroblast cells. Virus isolation attempts failed on chorioallantoic membrane of embryonated chicken eggs.

Peste des Petits ruminants (PPR), Blue tongue (BT), and Foot and mouth disease (FMD) are infectious viruses of livestock. The present work aimed to screen for anti-NP-PPRV, VP7-BTV, and NS-FMDV antibodies among non-vaccinated domestic ruminants (n=841) in Hail. Saudi Arabia. Sera were collected randomly from sheep (n=270), goats (n=270), cattle (n=31), and camels (n=270) of different ages and sex and tested at once by NP-PPR, VP7-BTV, and 3ABC-FMD competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence was 51.8% for PPR, 48.9% for BT, and 17.5% for FMD. Higher positivity for PPR (79.3%), BT (74.1%), and FMD (23.3%) was found in sheep. Co-occurrence of antibodies was 32.9% for PPR/BT and 11.2% for PPR/FMD and BT, PPRV/ BTV and FMDV antibodies was detected in sheep (6.5%), goats (4.4%) and camels (0.2%), PPRV and BTV in sheep (17.4%), goats (15.5%) and camels (0.1%), PPRV and FMDV in goats (0.7%) and cattle (0.2%) and FMDV and BTV was detected in goats (0.5%) and camels (0.1%). Significant correlations between seroprevalence and animal species, PPRV and BTV, PPRV and FMDV, BTV and FMDV were estimated. Novel rapid, sensitive, and specific multiplex immunoassays are essential for the detection of co-infection to improve the management of these devastating viruses.

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