Virologic, serologic and pathologic studies into border disease virus (BDV)‎ infection in a goat herd in Saudia Arabia

الملخص EN

In this study, border disease virus (BDV) infection was suspected in a goat herd in Riyadh province, KSA.

The outbreak was unusual in that the typical clinical signs of border disease, i.e., tremor and / or fleece changes were not present; manifestations of disease were restricted to abortion and the birth of small weak kids.

The diagnosis was confirmed by virus detection from dead-born fetuses, seroprevalence and pathology.

Impression smears from internal organs of aborted feti with suspected border disease (BD) were stained with the direct fluorescent antibody technique and examined by fluorescent microscopy, as well as prepared samples were assessed by antigen ELISA, where the two assays indicated the existence of BDV antigen.

In addition ; the serological investigation performed to determine the prevalence of (BDV) antibodies using ELISA revealed concurrent infection of BDV among this goat herd.

Histopathologically changes were confined to the brain, spinal cord and liver.

Lesions were especially pronounced in the white matter of the cerebrum and the cerebellum.

This is the first study that shows the presence of BDV and serologically positive animals to BDV in KSA.

Further studies are needed in order to determine the prevalence of the disease in the other goat and sheep populations and the strains of the virus may be present in KSA.