Original scientific paper
Investigation of maedi-visna virus in Dalmatia, using the agar-gel immuno-diffusion test
Zdravka Vidić
; Croatian Veterinary Institute - Veterinary Institute Split
Damir Lukačević
; Croatian Veterinary Institute - Veterinary Institute Split
Sanda Katić
; Croatian Veterinary Institute - Veterinary Institute Split
Eddy Listeš
; Croatian Veterinary Institute - Veterinary Institute Split
Miroslav Benić
; Croatian Veterinary Institute - Veterinary Institute Zagreb
Vladimir Stevanović
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ljubo Barbić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In this study we investigated the prevalence of the maedi-visna virus for the first time in Croatia. During 2013 a total of 408 randomly selected sheep and rams blood serum samples were collected from flocks located in four counties in the Dalmatia region, on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. All sera samples were tested using the gel diffusion precipitation test. The presence of maedi-visna virus infection was serologically confirmed in 66 out of 408 tested animals (16.18%). The highest seroprevalence was confirmed in central Dalmatian counties - with seroprevalence of 21.5% in Sibenik-Knin and 20.16% in the Split-Dalmatia County. In the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, in the southernmost part of Dalmatia, no positive samples were found. These results represent the first evidence of maedi-visna virus circulation in sheep in the Republic of Croatia. Given the economic losses that maedi-visna inflicts upon sheepherding, the study results indicate a need for immediate implementation of effective administrative veterinary measures, aimed at preventing and controlling this infection in the Adriatic part of Croatia.
Keywords
maedi-visna; seroprevalence; sheep; Dalmatia
Hrčak ID:
231250
URI
Publication date:
13.3.2017.
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