Some virus diseases of domestic animals in the Sultanate of Oman

Summary Little is known of the occurrence of animal virus diseases in the Sultanate of Oman. This paper reports the results of a countrywide survey carried out in 1978 to establish the prevalence of some important viral pathogens of domestic animals with the dual purpose of providing baselines for future investigations and guidelines for those entrusted with disease control.Foot-and-mouth disease virus type O, previously identified in Oman in 1976, was isolated from clinically affected animals. In addition, virus types A and Asia 1 were isolated from unaffected animals. Serological studies indicated that infection with all 3 types had been widespread. The presence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis was confirmed by virus isolations and sheep and goat pox, long recognised in Oman, was confirmed by the demonstration of pox particles in dried lesion material.In serological studies antibodies were found to the viruses of peste des petits ruminants, bovine herpes mammillitis, bovine virus diarrhoea, parainfluenza 3 and African horse sickness. There were no significant antibody levels to rinderpest in unvaccinated animals and no antibody to equine infectious anaemia or vesicular stomatitis viruses.

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Algunas Enfermedades Virales En El Sultanato De Oman

Resumen Se conoce muy poco de la ocurrencia de enfermedades virales en el Sultanato de Omán. Este trabajo describe los resultados de un estudio a nivel nacional realizado en 1978, con el fin de establecer la prevalencia de algunos patógenos virales importantes en animales domésticos. Consecuentemen te se establecieron las bases para futuras investigaciones y también los parámetros para investigaciones relacionados con el control de enfermedados.El virus de la fiebre aftosa tipo O, el cual había sido identificado en Omán en 1976, se aisló de animales afectados clínicamente. También el virus tipo A y Asia l se aislaron de animales aparentemente sanos. Los estudios serológicos mostraron sin lugar a dudas, que los 3 virus aftosos tenían amplia distribución. Se confirmó también la presencia del virus de rinotraque itis infecciosa bovina y del virus de la viruela ovina y caprina.En estudios serológicos se encontraton anticuerpos contra los virus de la peste de pequeños rumiantes, mamilitis herpética bovina, diarrea viral bovina, parainfluenza 3 y enfermedad africana de los caballos.No se encontraron niveles significativos de anticuerpos contra el virus de rinderpest, en animales sin vacunar y tampoco contra los virus de la ane mia equina infecciosa y estomatitis vesicular.

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Quelques Maladies A Virus Des Animaux Domestiques Dans Le Sultanat D'Oman

Résumé A l'heure actuelle les connaissances intéressant les maladies animales virales dans le Sultanat d'Oman sont réduites.Ce travail est l'exposé des résultats acquis à l'occasion d'une enquête régionale faite en 1978 pour situer l'existence possible de quelques unes des plus importantes affections virales animales dans le double but d'établir les bases d'un programme de recherches futures et de servir de guide dans l'établissement de mesures de contrôle pour lutter contre elles.Le virus—de type O—de la fièvre aphteuse, déjà identifié en Oman en 1976, a été isolé d'animaux cliniquement malades. En outre, le virus de type A et le virus de type ASIA I ont été également isolés à partir d'animaux apparemment sains. L'étude sérologique a montré que l'infection par ces trois virus est largement répandue. L'existence de la rhinotrachéite bovine a été confirmée par isolement du virus, la cl velée et la variole de la chèvre, déjà connue en Oman depuis longtemps ont été confirmées par l'isolement due virus claveleux à partir de prélèvements de lésions sèches.Au cours d'études sérologiques, des anticorps concernant la peste des petits ruminants, l'herpès mammaire et le virus de la diarrhée hémorragique des bovins, le virus parainfluenza 3 et celui de la peste équine, ont pu être décelés. Il n'a pas été mis en évidence de façon significative, d'anticorps contre le virus de la peste bovine chez les animaux non vaccinés, ni aucun anticorps contre celui de l'anémie infectieuse du cheval pas plus que la stomatite vésiculeuse contagieuse.

     

Capripox in the Yemen Arab Republic and the Sultanate of Oman

Summary Capripox was shown to be endemic in all the provinces of the Yemen Arab Republic and the Sultanate of Oman. Investigations into outbreaks of capripox indicated that some strains of capripoxvirus were infecting both sheep and goats and this was confirmed by inoculating experimental sheep and goats with isolates derived from field cases. The husbandry methods prevalent in the Middle East predispose to the rapid spread of capripox and annual vaccination of all sheep and goats must be considered as the only effective method of controlling the disease.

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Resumen Se comprobó que el capripox era endémico en todas las provincias de la República Arabe de Yemen y en el Sultanato de Oman. Las investigaciones de los brotes ocurridos, dieron como resultado el aislamiento de una cepa de virus capripox entre otras, capaz de infectar ovejas y cabras. Lo anterior se comprobó mediante la inoculación experimental. El sistema de manejo en el Este Medio favorece la rápida difusión de la enfermedad, siendo la vacunación anual de todo el efectivo, el único método efectivo para controlar la enfermedad.

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Résumé On a montré que l’infection Capripox est endémique dans toutes les provinces de la République Arabe et du Sultanat d’Oman. Des recherches conduites dans des foyers de capripox ont montré que quelques souches de virus capripox étaient infectieuses pour les moutons et les chèvres; ceci a pu être confirmé expérimentalement en inoculant des moutons et des chèvres avec des souches originaires de cas naturels. Les méthodes d’élevage existant au Moyen-Orient favorisent la dissémination rapide du capripox; la vaccination annuelle doit être considérée comme étant la seule méthode effective de contr?le de la maladie.

     

The epidemiology of peste des petits ruminants in the Sultanate of Oman

Virological and serological evidence was obtained to show that peste des petits ruminants virus was widely distributed in Omani sheep and goats. There was no evidence for the concomitant presence of rinderpest virus in these species. Two virus isolates were classified as peste des petits ruminants virus on the basis of their pathogenicity in experimental animals and their specific hybridisation with nucleic acid probes. However, neutralisation tests and polyacrylamide gel analysis of their nucleocapsid proteins showed that they were not identical to the highly conserved African strains of this virus.     

Microbiological and serological studies on caprine pneumonias in Oman

Eight of 10 typical cases of contagious caprine pleuro-pneumonia in Oman yielded strain F38-like mycoplasmas from the lungs in high titre, but no other mycoplasmas: both negative animals had been treated with tylosin shortly before death. Among 21 other lungs examined three of six cases of acute pneumonia yielded Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae; one also yielded M capricolum. M ovipneumoniae was also isolated from all eight cases of chronic pneumonia sampled from an abattoir, and from the lungs of three animals which died without overt signs of pneumonia. A single isolate of M arginini and three of unidentified mycoplasmas were also obtained from goats with and without pneumonia. Various bacterial species were isolated, none of which predominated. Antibodies to M mycoides subspecies capri (M m capri) and strain F38 were detected in sera from eight different sources. Assuming titres of 1 in 40 or more as positive in the indirect haemagglutination test used, 29 per cent of 422 serum samples had antibodies to M m capri alone, 2.6 per cent to strain F38 alone and 3.6 per cent to both organisms. These results confirm the presence of F38-like mycoplasmas in Oman, and indicate also widespread infection with M m capri. The role of the latter in caprine pneumonias in Oman requires elucidation.     

Lumpy skin disease of cattle: an emerging problem in the Sultanate of Oman

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a virus belonging to the Capripoxvirus genus of the family Poxviridae. The purpose of this study is to place on record the first confirmation of LSD in the Sultanate. The disease was diagnosed and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction, histopathology, transmission electron microscopy and serum neutralization testing. The epizootic occurred in 2009 involving a large number of animals and covering a wide area including Nezwa, Alqabel, Sohar, Saham and Burimi. Morbidity and mortality rates of 29.7 and 26.3 %, and 13.6 and 15.4 % were observed at Nezwa and Sohar, respectively. The clinical signs were much more severe in Holstein–Friesian cattle compared to indigenous breeds and were characterized by multiple skin nodules covering the neck, back, perineum, tail, limbs and genital organs. Affected animals also exhibited lameness, emaciation and cessation of milk production. Oedema of limbs and brisket, and superficial lymph node enlargement were highly prominent. It is not known from where the virus originated, or how it spread to the Sultanate. The disease has become endemic in the country and is liable to extend to other Gulf Cooperation Council Countries and cause a pandemic. It is of major concern to the Omani dairy industry. Due to the widespread presence of screw worm, serious economic losses can follow outbreaks.     

An abattoir survey of caprine liver diseases in the sultanate of Oman

The examination of 675 caprine livers from a slaughterhouse in the Greater Muscat area in the Sultanate of Oman revealed that 63 (9.3%) exhibited gross pathological changes leading to condemnation of this organ. Forty of these livers (71.4%) exhibited one major abnormality, whereas the remaining 28.6% had two or more lesions. The most frequently occurring disorder was diffuse hepatic lipidosis (4.0%), followed by bacterial associated abscesses (2.4%), cysticercosis (1.9%), and eosinophilic granulomata (1%). Although the cause for the hepatic lipidosis was not determined it appeared to be a reversible condition based on the absence of degenerative nuclei within the affected hepatocytes. Conditions observed in only a single liver were subcapsular (non-parasitic) cysts, focal necrosis, micronodular cirrhosis, extensive bile duct proliferation and diffuse haemorrhage.     

A caprine pneumonia outbreak associated with caprine herpesvirus and Pasteurella haemolytica respiratory infections

In a field disease outbreak, 60 female goats died over a 2-3 week period. Necropsies of seven of these does revealed that six had an acute exudative necrotising broncho-pneumonia, and moderate to high numbers of Pasteurella haemolytica were isolated from their lungs. Caprine herpesvirus, identified as Bovid herpesvirus type 6, was isolated from the lungs of two of these does, including one with pneumonia, and from nasal swabs of in-contact goats. Clinical disease was only observed in does, and deaths began 3 weeks after the introduction of a mob of goat hoggets from another farm.     

An outbreak of vulvovaginitis in goats caused by a caprine herpesvirus

A caprine herpesvirus related to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus but immunologically distinct from that virus was isolated from an outbreak of vulvovaginitis in a herd of Saanen goats. The morbidity rate was 52.5%, with 21 of 40 does showing clinical signs. The lesions healed rapidly with only two goats showing lesions two weeks after the disease was first detected. No effect on subsequent reproductive performance was observed. The mode of transmission of the virus was believed to be venereal.     

An outbreak of vulvovaginitis in goats caused by a caprine herpesvirus

A caprine herpesvirus related to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus but immunologically distinct from that virus was isolated from an outbreak of vulvovaginitis in a herd of Saanen goats. The morbidity rate was 52.5%, with 21 of 40 does showing clinical signs. The lesions healed rapidly with only two goats showing lesions two weeks after the disease was first detected. No effect on subsequent reproductive performance was observed. The mode of transmission of the virus was believed to be venereal.     

Chronic cryptosporidiosis in Australian elapid snakes: control of an outbreak in a captive colony

An outbreak of chronic cryptosporidiosis resulting in hypertrophic gastritis occurred in a captive colony of Australian elapid snakes. Two species of the genus Notechiswere involved: Notechis ***ater(Black Tiger Snake) and Notechis scutatus (Eastern or Mainland Tiger Snake). The infection was eventually fatal in all 9 affected snakes. Typical histopathological findings of the stomach included mucosal thickening with cystic dilatation of gastric glands, moderate oedema and fibrosis of the lamina propria, and a mild to moderate patchy infiltration of inflammatory cells. Procedures implemented to contain the outbreak included the use of a formaldehyde-based disinfectant, prompt removal of faecal matter, uneaten and regurgitated food from enclosures, and examination of faecal specimens for Cryptosporidium oocysts and other pathogens.     

Isolation of caprine herpesvirus 1 from a major outbreak of infectious pustular vulvovaginitis in goats

We describe an outbreak of infectious pustular vulvovaginitis caused by Caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV1) in a group of approximately 200, 8 month old virgin does that were imported to Victoria from New Zealand. CpHV1 was isolated in cell cultures from vaginal swabs from three of three affected does but not from two bucks that had been with the does. The identity of the virus as a herpesvirus was confirmed by negative stain electron microscopy. Restriction endonuclease DNA fingerprint analysis showed that the DNA fingerprints were similar, but not identical, to previously described CpHV1 isolates made in New Zealand, New South Wales, and in other parts of the world. Acute and convalescent phase sera from selected does supported the diagnosis of CpHV1 infection. It is most likely that the disease was initiated by reactivation of latent virus in at least one of four bucks that served the does, since each was positive for CpHV neutralising antibody when first tested. This is the first report of CpHV infectious pustular vulvovaginitis in goats in Victoria and to our knowledge appears to be one of the largest outbreaks recorded anywhere.