Poxvirus Infections in Dairy Farms and Transhumance Cattle Herds in Nigeria

David Oludare Omoniwa; Irene Kasindi Meki; Caleb Ayuba Kudi; Anthony Kojo Sackey; Maryam Aminu; Adeyinka Jeremy Adedeji; Clement Adebajo Meseko; Pam Dachung Luka; Olayinka Oluwafemi Asala; Jolly Amoche Adole; Rebecca Bitiyong Atai; Yakubu Joel Atuman; Tirumala Bharani Kumar Settypalli; Giovanni Cattoli; Charles Euloge Lamien

doi:10.3390/v15051051

Viruses (Apr 2023)

Poxvirus Infections in Dairy Farms and Transhumance Cattle Herds in Nigeria

David Oludare Omoniwa,
Irene Kasindi Meki,
Caleb Ayuba Kudi,
Anthony Kojo Sackey,
Maryam Aminu,
Adeyinka Jeremy Adedeji,
Clement Adebajo Meseko,
Pam Dachung Luka,
Olayinka Oluwafemi Asala,
Jolly Amoche Adole,
Rebecca Bitiyong Atai,
Yakubu Joel Atuman,
Tirumala Bharani Kumar Settypalli,
Giovanni Cattoli,
Charles Euloge Lamien

Affiliations

David Oludare Omoniwa: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Radiology, University of Jos, Jos 930001, Plateau State, Nigeria
Irene Kasindi Meki: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Caleb Ayuba Kudi: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Anthony Kojo Sackey: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Maryam Aminu: Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Adeyinka Jeremy Adedeji: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Clement Adebajo Meseko: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Pam Dachung Luka: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Olayinka Oluwafemi Asala: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Jolly Amoche Adole: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Rebecca Bitiyong Atai: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Yakubu Joel Atuman: National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom 930103, Plateau State, Nigeria
Tirumala Bharani Kumar Settypalli: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Giovanni Cattoli: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Charles Euloge Lamien: Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v15051051
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 5
p. 1051

Abstract

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Lumpy Skin disease (LSD) is an economically important disease in cattle caused by the LSD virus (LSDV) of the genus Capripoxvirus, while pseudocowpox (PCP) is a widely distributed zoonotic cattle disease caused by the PCP virus (PCPV) of the genus Parapoxvirus. Though both viral pox infections are reportedly present in Nigeria, similarities in their clinical presentation and limited access to laboratories often lead to misdiagnosis in the field. This study investigated suspected LSD outbreaks in organized and transhumance cattle herds in Nigeria in 2020. A total of 42 scab/skin biopsy samples were collected from 16 outbreaks of suspected LSD in five northern States of Nigeria. The samples were analyzed using a high-resolution multiplex melting (HRM) assay to differentiate poxviruses belonging to Orthopoxvirus, Capripoxvirus, and Parapoxvirus genera. LSDV was characterized using four gene segments, namely the RNA polymerase 30 kDa subunit (RPO30), G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the extracellular enveloped virus (EEV) glycoprotein and CaPV homolog of the variola virus B22R. Likewise, the partial B2L gene of PCPV was also analyzed. Nineteen samples (45.2%) were positive according to the HRM assay for LSDV, and five (11.9%) were co-infected with LSDV and PCPV. The multiple sequence alignments of the GPCR, EEV, and B22R showed 100% similarity among the Nigerian LSDV samples, unlike the RPO30 phylogeny, which showed two clusters. Some of the Nigerian LSDVs clustered within LSDV SG II were with commonly circulating LSDV field isolates in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, while the remaining Nigerian LSDVs produced a unique sub-group. The B2L sequences of Nigerian PCPVs were 100% identical and clustered within the PCPV group containing cattle/Reindeer isolates, close to PCPVs from Zambia and Botswana. The results show the diversity of Nigerian LSDV strains. This paper also reports the first documented co-infection of LSDV and PCPV in Nigeria.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

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