Virology & Mycology
Open Access

Abstract

Competitive Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (c-ELISA) Based Sero- Prevalence of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) on Small Ruminants in Selected Areas of Wolyita, Southern Ethiopia

Melese Yilma and Mesfin Mekonnen

The objective of the present study is to assess the sero-prevalence and associated risk factors for small ruminants’ bluetongue infection in selected agro-ecology of woliyta zone, southern Ethiopia. Serum samples were collected randomly from the accessed small ruminates and screened for detection of BTV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). A total of 476 serum samples were tested and 196 (41.17%) were positive for bluetongue virus antibodies. A prevalence rate ranging from 26.53% for the midland altitude to 73.47% for the lowland was recorded. To disease associated risk factor age, and location was recorded using multivariate analysis of logistic regression model. Within species goat 114 (58.2%) and sheep 82 (41.8%) sero positive reactors was recorded. This is the first report indicating the presence of bluetongue virus infection in the area.