Prevalence and molecular characterization of Peste des Petits Ruminants virus from Ismailia and Suez, Northeastern Egypt, 2014-2016

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a severe viral disease of small ruminants endemic in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The aim of this study was to determine the current circulation of PPR virus (PPRV) and the prevalence of PPR disease among sheep and goats in Ismailia and Suez governorates in northeastern Egypt. PPRV infection was confirmed using virus isolation (VI), conventional and real-time RT-PCR. The overall morbidity and mortality were 54.2% and 8.5%, respectively, and clinical disease was significantly higher in goats and young animals in the Suez compared to the Ismailia. Of the 40 samples tested, the real-time PCR showed the highest diagnostic sensitivity (100%) compared to RT-PCR (93%) and VI (83%). Sequence analyses of N and F genes of three field isolates revealed a 97% and 99% nucleotide homology with the Egyptian strains, respectively and 99% identity with 2010 Ethiopian PPRV. Phylogenetically all the Egyptian sequences cluster in lineage IV. This is the first report of PPR in Suez and confirms the (on-going) PPRV circulation in northeastern Egypt and emphasize the need to perpetuate molecular epidemiological surveillance on a large scale to reduce economic loss.