Molecular and serosurvey of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotypes O and A in selected livestock-wildlife interface areas of Tanzania

Abstract

Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) causes a highly devastating Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) to all cloven hoofed livestock and wildlife. FMDV circulates worldwide as seven antigenically distinct serotypes (O, A, SAT1-3, C, and Asia1), and African buffalo act as reservoir of SAT1-3 serotypes. It remains unclear whether the buffalo can also act as carrier of the eurasian serotypes O and A, which occur in parts of East Africa. The screening of FMDV natural infection in buffalo and cattle was done using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and then characterized by Solid phase competitive ELISA (SPCE) for FMDV antibodies specific to serotype O and A. The FMDV RNA screening and typing was done with one-step RT-PCR using PAN primers and serotype specific primers respectively. Results showed evidence for FMDV types O and A in buffalo and provides an important contribution to the knowledge for FMDV epidemiology in order to improve future tailored FMD control strategies in Tanzania