ISRAEL JOURNAL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, cilt.66, sa.1, ss.39-44, 2011 (SCI-Expanded)
The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical presentation and mortality rates, post mortem findings, histopathological and immunohistochemical patterns, route of contamination and prophylaxis of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) infection in a flock of 525 sheep. On clinical examination a high body temperature, coughing, lachrymal and nasal discharge, stomatitis aphtosa and diarrhea were present. Gross post mortem examination revealed ulcerative stomatitis, interstitial pneumonia and acute catarrhal enteritis. Inclusion bodies were observed in labial tissues on histopathological investigation. Cells of the lung, intestine and labial tissues containing PPR viral antigens were observed using immunohistochemical technique by the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Mortality rate in suckling lambs was much higher (100%) than in young (24%) and adult (5%) sheep.