Comparative investigation of border disease virus infection in sheep flocks with abortion problems in Konya province

The aim of the present study was to determine the serological and virological status of animals persistently infected (PI) with border disease virus (BDV), with focus on the prevalence of pestiviruses in sheep and lambs. This study is the first to our knowledge, to investigate the role of viral infections in abortions in the sheep population of Konya province. The prevalence of antibodies against BDV was as follows: sheep, 79%; lambs, 43.4%; and rams, 6%. Of 1000 leukocyte (sheep) samples examined with a direct ELISA, 11 (1.1%) (first sampling) were antibody-positive. Three sheep were determined to be PI and were sacrificed. Of 1011 sheep leukocyte samples, 14 were examined using a direct immunoperoxidase (IP) assay for BDV antigen, and 11 of 327 (3.36%) tissue samples were positive. The BDV genome was detected in 14 of 63 (22.2%) sheep leukocyte samples and 11 of 327 (3.36%) tissue samples by one-step RT-PCR. The BDV genome could not be detected in any vaginal swab samples. The sensitivity and specificity rates between direct ELISA and direct IP were respectively 100% and 98.8% and the values were, respectively, 78.57% and 98.6% between direct ELISA and one-step RT-PCR and 100% and 97.5% between one-step RT-PCR and direct IP. In conclusion it was determinate that BDV has an important role as an etiologic agent in abortion causes in sheep population in Konya.