Detection of Small Ruminant Lentivirus in environmental samples of air and water

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.