Abstract :
Small Ruminant Lentivirus is transmitted vertically by ingestion of contaminated
milk/colostrum and horizontally by the respiratory route through close contact with
infected animals. In order to detect presence of virus in a shed environment, we sampled
and tested drinking water, pen air and air exhaled from infected sheep in both commercial
flocks and groups of culled sheep. Nucleic acids were extracted and analysed by retrotranscription,
Pol PCR amplification and sequencing. Virus sequences were detected in 9% and
11% of samples of water and air, respectively, collected from pens, and in 35% of sheep
whose expelled air was tested. Our results are in concordance with previous evidences of
air and waterborne transmission of the infection and might have implications for the design
of control strategies.
