PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF MVV AND CAEV SEROPREVALENCE IN ROMANIAN SHEEP AND GOATS.

Maedi-Visna (MV) and Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) are diseases of sheep and goats. They are caused by lentiviruses which belong to Retroviridae family. The usual way of contamination is the cohabitation of animals. Diseases are widespread in many countries as: Norway, France, Italy, Spain, USA, Panama, Cyprus, Greece, and Japan. The present paper aimed to present the MVV and CAEV antibodies seroprevalence in samples collected in different sheep and goats farms from Romania. There were collected blood samples from the following counties: ClujNapoca, Ilfov, Constanta, Galati, Giurgiu, Braila, Arges, Bacau, Dâmbovita, Ialomita, Suceava, Calarasi, Buzau, Vrancea, and Vaslui. In order to determine the presence of antibodies, the samples were analysed by indirect ELISA, using commercial kits. There were registered negative results in only four counties and the possible existence of viruses in farms cannot be excluded. In order to confirm and strengthen the preliminary results, we recommend to analyses the samples by molecular biology techniques. Also, national authorities could establish a program of surveillance and diagnosis at national level, able to provide a more complete picture of the SRLVs prevalence in each county. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]