Seroprevalence and Vaccination Trials of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Northern Benin

Abstract

Vaccination is one of the best Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) control methods in endemic areas. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of FMD in Northern Benin and assess the effectiveness of a newly developed vaccine using FMD virus strains identified in the study area. A total of 61 cattle were selected from the State farm of Okpara and 50 from a private farm in Gogounou. Animals were vaccinated and their sera were collected before vaccination (day 0), on the 30 th and the 120 th days post vaccination. Sampled sera were analysed for the detection of non-structural protein (NSP) antibodies. Percentages of inhibition were estimated at a cut-off value of 50%. The study revealed that the NSP rates from Gogounou were 54%, 62.5% and 48.97% on days 0, 30 and 120, respectively without a significant difference. However, from Okpara, the NSP rate of day 30 (71.19%) was not differed significantly from that of day 120 (75%). Findings show that the use of NSP alone cannot be a reliable method to conclude the effectiveness of the vaccine in cattle. Further research should be carried out on the same samples to determine the serotypes that are responsible of FMD cases in Benin for successful vaccination in the country.