Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Author(s):
Prabhu M, Prabhakar R, Prema N, Yogisharadhya R, Anil Kumar R and Iyue M

Abstract:
Sheeppox and ORF are two important viral diseases of small ruminants causing significant economic loss. Sheeppox is an OIE notifiable, systemic disease whereas ORF is a local proliferative skin infection of the sheep and goats. This report describes a dual infection of Sheeppox virus (genus Capri poxvirus) and ORF virus (genus Parapoxvirus) in an organised farm of Sheep Breeding Research Station, Sandynallah located at high altitude of the temperate terrain region of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. The outbreak was recorded in the farm consisting of 1499 sheep of varied age group during March- May 2016. On clinical examination, the affected adult animals (n=46) showed typical Sheeppox lesions confined to ventral abdomen and udder. While, the suckling lambs (n=90) showed proliferative lesions mainly on oral commissure and lips. A mortality of 12.22% was recorded only in lambs of preweaning age, which was mainly ascribed to isolation from mothers, debility and weakness. On histopathology, two animals showed typical intracytoplasmic inclusions suggestive of Sheeppox in the lung. The mixed infection was further confirmed with P32 gene and B2L gene-based PCRs respectively to identify Sheeppox and ORF infections. Of 45 scab samples tested, 12 scabs were found positive for Sheeppox, 2 samples for ORF and 21 samples (11 lambs and 10 ewes) for both the infections. The flock was managed symptomatically with antibiotics and antipyretics and the outbreak was controlled by strict isolation, disinfection and disease manage mental practices along with proper nutrition.