Molecular characterization of Peste des petits ruminants viruses in the Marmara Region of Turkey

Abstract

Recent outbreaks of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in the Marmara region of Turkey including the European part of Thrace is important due to its proximity to Europe (Greece and Bulgaria) and the potential threat of spread of PPR into mainland Europe. In order to investigate the circulation of PPRV in the region suspect clinical and necropsy samples were collected from domestic sheep (n = 211) in the Marmara region of Turkey between 2011 and 2012. PPR virus (PPRV) genome was detected in 10.4% (22 out of 211) of sheep samples by real‐time RT‐PCR, and PPR virus was isolated from lungs of two sheep that died from infection. Of the 22 positive samples nine were used for partial N‐gene amplification and sequencing. The phylogenetic analyses indicated that the virus belongs to lineage IV, the same lineage that is circulating in eastern and central part of Turkey since its first official report in 1999. In addition, samples from 100 cattle were collected to investigate potential subclinical circulation of PPRV. However all were found to be negative by real‐time RT‐PCR, and also in serological tests indicating the large ruminants were likely not exposed or infected with the virus. The impact of these findings on the potential threat of spread of PPR to Europe including the first PPR outbreak in Europe in Bulgaria on 23rd June 2018 is discussed.

Complete Genome Sequence of a Lineage IV Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus from Turkey, 2018

“…Similarly, in another commonly sequenced fragment of the N gene (303 bp), PPRV/Turkey/Central_Anatolia/2018 showed 100% identity with a number of different sequences (collected between 2015 and 2018) originating from the following regions in Turkey: Bursa, Bilecik, Canakkale, Konya, Antalya, Nigde, and Afyonkarahisar. This finding is in line with that of other studies (10), showing an ongoing circulation of PPRV in Turkey.…”

Camelids and Cattle Are Dead-End Hosts for Peste-des-Petits-Ruminants Virus

“…Dromedaries kept separately from PPRV-infected domestic ruminants showed no seroconversion to PPRV [59,72], while a considerable proportion of camels, cattle, and buffalo can be found seropositive where reared together with small ruminants (one epidemiological unit) [73]. No seropositive cattle was found in Turkey despite PPRV-infection detected in local small ruminant herds [74], which was attributed to a lack of infection and circulation of PPRV in cattle [74]. In field studies, seroprevalence rates were generally similar or lower in camels and cattle compared to small ruminants.…”

Quantifying Levels of Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Virus in Excretions from Experimentally Infected Goats and Its Importance for Nascent PPR Eradication Programme

“…PPR was long considered to be confined to West Africa but later it was described throughout Africa (except some southern African countries) from south of the Sahara to north of the Equator, as well as in the Middle East and Asia [1,2]. Historically, Europe has been free of PPR, though that changed following an incursion into Bulgaria during 2018 [9]. Following the successful eradication of rinderpest, the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have set as a target the global eradication of PPR by 2030.…”