Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, R. S. Pura, Jammu-181102. (India).
A total of 162 clinical samples (34 nasal swabs, 34 oral swabs, 34 rectal swabs, 26 ocular swabs, 26 blood samples and 08 tissue samples) from 34 animals (26 live and 8 dead) of 13 flocks of migratory sheep and goats suspected for Peste des petits ruminant (PPR) were tested. The highest positivity for PPR virus antigen detection by sandwich-ELISA in live animals was reported in nasal swab (57.69%) followed by ocular swabs (53.38%), oral swabs (46.15%), blood samples (42.30%) and least in rectal swabs (19.23%) samples. Whereas in case of dead animals the highest positivity was observed in tissue samples (50.00%) followed by nasal (37.50%), oral (25.00%) and least in rectal (12.50%) swab samples when compared parallel to each other. A sensitivity of 100% was shown by nasal swab in live animals and tissue samples in case of dead animal when compared with others whereas lowest sensitivity was observed by rectal swabs samples in both live and dead animals when compared with others respectively. The study thus revealed the diagnostic value of clinical samples such as nasal swabs, ocular swabs, oral swabs, rectal swabs, blood samples and tissue samples in detection of PPR virus antigen by sandwich ELISA in small ruminants.
