title: Circulation of bluetongue virus in goats in the Karamoja region of Uganda.
abstract: The presence of bluetongue virus (BTV) in indigenous goats from the Karamoja region of northern Uganda was investigated. A total of 300 goats were sampled (serum and whole blood) from five districts within the Karamoja region. The samples were analysed for the presence of bluetongue (BT) antibodies using a commercial Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for the presence of BTV viral RNA by real-time Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), because BTV is an RNA virus. Of the 300 goats tested, 269 (90%) were positive for BTV antibodies, indicating high levels of BTV circulation within the region. Out of the 150 whole blood samples tested for the presence of the virus by real-time RT-PCR, 84 (56%) were positive for BTV RNA. This study, which is the first of its kind in Uganda, showed a high seroprevalence of BT antibodies and active circulation of BTV in a high proportion of goats in the Karamoja region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio molecular Resources and Bio laboratory Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda. nichelijah@gmail.com
authors.forename: Elijah N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Mulabbi
authors.forename: Chrisostom
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayebazibwe
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majalija
authors.forename: Carrie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Batten
authors.forename: Christopher A L
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Oura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006041:Goats; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral