Identification and Comparative Phylogeny of Sheep and Goat Pox Isolates from Jammu, India

Background: In view of the limited documentation of sheep and goat pox disease in animals of Jammu region, it was felt necessary to conduct a blanket screening of the small ruminant populations in areas where they are largely reared. Methods: The investigation was conducted to study the occurrence of capripox infection amongst small ruminants through clinical survey and confirmatory laboratory diagnosis. PCR amplification of a part of the P32 core protein gene successfully confirmed Capripoxvirus (CaPV) in clinical scab samples from both sheep and goats and from inoculated CAM. Positive amplified samples yielded a predicted 192 bp product. Result: Sequencing of the partial P32 gene of one isolate each from sheep (Sheeppoxvirus, SPPV) and goat origin (Goatpoxvirus, GTPV) revealed that each isolate were distinct and showed 97.8% identity with each other. The SPPV clustered with respective sheeppox cluster with 100% homology to with other SPPV strains reported within India and abroad and also to vaccine strains Srinagar and Rumanian-Fanar (RF). The GTPV was closely identical (~98-99%) with other strains from India and abroad with some unique residues of its own. Both the SPPV and GTPV were divergent from Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) strains. The sequence of SPPV strain being similar to circulating strains and prevalent vaccines in the country favours a common vaccination strategy. However, specific GTPV vaccine is not available in the country. The circulating CaPV isolates were found to be host specific. The possibility of vaccination failures or disease caused by vaccines itself, or cross transmission between hosts cannot be ruled out and in such instances it becomes difficult to distinguish with natural disease.