Revue d’Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux (Jan 2015)

Detection of African horse sickness virus antibodies by ELISA in sera collected from unvaccinated horses in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria

  • D. O. Ehizibolo,
  • E. C. Nwokike,
  • Y. Wungak,
  • C. A. Meseko

DOI
https://doi.org/10.19182/remvt.10187
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 67, no. 2

Abstract

Read online

African horse sickness (AHS) is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and is recognized as one of the major life-threatening diseases of equids in some parts of the world. Several sporadic outbreaks of AHS have been reported in Nigeria in the past. Sera collected from 284 horses in seven stables in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria, were tested for antibodies against AHS virus (AHSV) using a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A high percentage of the sera (86.6%) were positive, indicating continual exposure of Nigerian horses to AHSV. Annual vaccination of horses and vector control to minimize incidence in the region is advocated.

Keywords