Screening of peste des petits ruminants virus in a population of district Khairpur, Pakistan.

Goats are the Pakistan's fastest growing ruminants, and Pakistan is the third largest goat producer in the world after India and China. Goat meat preference is the main reason for its increased demand. In the country, there are 25 goat breeds and two wild relatives such as Mark and Goats. At present, Pakistan has 53.8 million goats, according to the 2006 GOP report, and their population growth rate was more than 3% per year (37, 23, 22, and 18% of the goat population in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and NWFP, respectively). Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae and is considered to be one of the major constraints on increasing the productivity of goats and sheep in the areas where they exist and become local. It is closely related to cattle and buffalo rinderpest virus, dogs and other wild predator distemper virus, human measles virus, and marine mammalian measles virus. The present study aimed to determine the screening of the PPRV, Capra Hircus Lin. population, in the Khairpur Mirs District, Sindh, Pakistan. We selected 290 goats for serum sample collection and analysis using competitive ELISA kits according to the manufacturer's instructions. Our results showed that 59 (64%) of the 92 clinical cases were positive and 33 (36%) were seronegative. The study concluded that PPR might be more prevalent in the Khairpur District. Furthermore, it is highly recommended to use homologous PPR-attenuated vaccines to prevent lethal virus attacks that control PPR in the country.