Authors : Adel I. Al-Afaleq, Mansour F. Hussein, Fadil M. Housawi, Abdulmohsin A. Al-Naeem and Anwar A. Kubati
Abstract: A 3 years longitudinal survey was conducted using sentinel sheep to monitor antibodies against Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) in six different localities in Saudi Arabia where no previous evidence of RVF exists and no vaccination against RVF is practiced. Two hundred and forty, 6 months old Noaimi lambs of comparable body weight were used. They were divided into six sentinel flocks of 40 lambs each. The animals were stationed in local farms at Al-Hasa, Riyadh, Al-Kharj, Tabouk, Al-Madinah al-Monawarah and Jeddah regions. All lambs were ELISA-negative for antibodies against RVFV and none of them was vaccinated against RVF. The lambs were regularly examined for clinical abnormalities while serum samples were collected from each lamb upon arrival and at 2 months intervals thereafter. The sera were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies against RVFV using sheep IgG-sandwich ELISA Method. Out of 3740 serum samples collected from the six flocks over the 3 years period, none was found to be positive for anti-RVFV antibodies. Furthermore, none of the lambs exhibited clinical signs suggestive of RVF. These results indicate absence of viral activity in the studied areas during the survey period. Such results are of significant importance to the prevention and control measures in the Saudi Arabia as well as to the adjacent countries.
Adel I. Al-Afaleq, Mansour F. Hussein, Fadil M. Housawi, Abdulmohsin A. Al-Naeem and Anwar A. Kubati, 2015. Vertical Sero-Epidemiological Surveillance of Rift Valley Fever in Sentinel Sheep in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 14: 59-62.