Incidence of unusually high numbers of stillbirths was observed at a piggery unit at the Veterinary University research farm in Tamil Nadu State of India. Systematic examination of the tissue from stillborn piglets led to the identification of presence of Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2). Detailed analysis utilizing electron microscopy, polymerase chain reaction and sequencing confirmed the presence of PCV2 in the tissue of affected piglets. Histopathology analysis of the affected piglet tissue showed lymphoid cell depletion of lymphnodes, spleen and infiltration of liver, kidney, myocardium, etc. Retrospective examination of the morbidity and mortality history in the farm revealed high mortality in young and weanling piglets suggestive of PCV2 infection-induced diseases. This is the first report of emergence of major disease incidence in farmed swine due to PCV2 infection in India.

SummaryGoat pox disease outbreaks were observed in different places affecting Black Bengal Goats in West Bengal (WB) and Tellicherry, Vembur and non-descriptive breeds in Tamil Nadu (TN) causing severe lesions and mortality up to 30%. Clinical specimens from all the outbreaks were screened by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and confirmed the diseases as Goat Pox. Virus isolation in Vero cell line was done with randomly selected ten samples, cytopathic effects (CPE) characterized by syncytia and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed after several blind passages. Nucleotide sequence of complete p32 gene using randomly selected two isolates and three clinical specimens revealed presence of Goat pox virus (GTPV)-specific signature residues in all the sequences. Phylogenetic analysis using the present five sequences along with Gen-

This communication reports fatal Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) disease in Chowsingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), a member of the subfamily Bovinae and family Bovidae captured in a Zoological Park. The animals showed clinical signs of acute respiratory disease with frothy nasal discharge (1-2 days) and mortality of twenty animals (80%) within 48 hr. Necropsy of dead Chowsingha showed haemorrhagic patches in trachea and severe congestion of lungs and ocular mucosa. There was no characteristic lesion in the intestine. Swabs from trachea and nasal tract along with tissue samples of spleen and lung from dead animals were found positive for PPR virus based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using H gene and partial N gene-specific primers. Sequence analysis of complete H gene and partial N gene confirmed the aetiological agent as PPR virus lineage IV. The identity of the Chowsingha tissues used for PPRV isolation was confirmed by the 12S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, and the amplified gene was analysed identically to the Chowsingha mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene. The present information of PPR in Chowsingha is the first report of PPRV lineage IV causing cross-species fatal disease in subfamily bovinae and family Bovidae. The acute manifestation of the disease indicates high susceptibility of this vulnerable wild bovid species to PPR lineage IV. This report extends host range and demands enhanced surveillance among subfamily bovinae to strengthen PPR eradication programme.

An unknown disease outbreak was reported in four villages of Salem district viz., Aranganoor, Athigaripatty, Avadathur and Amanikondalanpatty in Tamil Nadu State and subsequent mortality among the Mecheri breed of sheep and Tellichery breed of goat was investigated. The clinical signs observed among the animals were high fever, anorexia, profuse diarrhoea with bilateral mucopurulent oculonasal discharge. Bran like necrotic ulcers in the mucosa of oral cavity, tongue, dental pad was seen on necropsy. Samples were collected for laboratory based diagnostic assay and the investigation using RT-PCR confirmed the etiology as PPR. The Nucleoprotein gene of the virus was sequenced and phylogeny of the N gene sequence showed that the virus belongs to lineage IV PPRV.

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