Abstract :
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis virus (CAEV) and Visna/maedi virus (VISNA), are considered
to be genetically distinct but antigenically related pathogens of goats and sheep. In this
study, one flock of 250 goats was screened using Agar-gel Immunodiffusion (AGID), and the
level of seroprevalence observed was 11 animals (4.4%) of positive tested serum. Four goats
positive to AGID were analyzed using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), which amplifies
part of the gag gene. All the animals were found to be positive. The nucleotide sequences
of gag gene were determined from four BR/CNPC lentivirus isolates from naturally infected
goats. The four gag gene sequences BR/CNPC small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) were compared
to GenBank, and the results demonstrated that these sequences were more related
to the caprine rather than the ovine strains. Further phylogenetic analysis of the proviral
gag sequences showed that they constituted subtype B1 of the CAEV group. The analyses
of the sequences also showed that the viruses were genetically stable.
