| dc.description.abstract | Background: The CAEV (Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus) together with Maedi
visna virus (MVV) are specific pathogen of small ruminants (small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV). The clinical signs can be arthritis or mastitis in adults and encephalitis in kids, however, most of the CAEV infections remain subclinical. The viral
infection can be lifelong and the animals can become a virus carrier at any time.
The most effective way to eradicate the virus is through the selection and culling
of infected animals, based on serological results.
Objectives: An eradication programme was carried out in a goat herd of 150 does
in Tahitótfalu between 2020 and 2023. A routine serological survey revealed that
the number of CAEV seropositive animals in the herd was very high, and as the
number of animals with clinical symptoms started to increase, an eradication
program became advisable. The objective was to lower the rate of seropositive
animals, and to keep the herd free from the clinical signs.
Materials and Methods: The primary method for screening the animals was the
antibody ELISA method. It was sensitive and specific enough to find the seropositive animals in the herd. As an additional method, real-time and conventional
PCR methods was used to test blood samples.
Results and Discussion: After the initial seropositive results, there were several
other test methods in the herd to detect the seropositive animals. In 2020 the
percentage of seropositive goats was between 33% and 100%, so an eradication
programme was advised to decrease the number of infected animals and to
reduce the clinical signs in the herd. As a consequence of the selection-based
programme, the rate of seropositive animals was successfully decreased in the
herd by the end of 2021 (1-20%). However, due to a prolonged period of immunosuppression, the disease started to spread again among the animals during
2022, and the complete eradication could not be achieved. Nevertheless, our
experiences show that CAEV eradication programmes can be a useful tool to
decrease the clinical consequences of the disease on dairy goat farms. | en_US |
