Seroprevalence of Border disease in 22 sheep farms in the south of Chile

Abstract

In order to determine the presence of antibodies against the Border disease (BD) virus, 147 blood samples were obtained from 2 large sheep farms (more than 2000 sheep each) and 20 small holdings (less than 30 sheep each) in the south of Chile.

Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein, using sterile plain vacutainers. Sera was separated by centrifugation, frozen and stored at —20°C until tested. Border Disease antibodies were detected using a double- monoclonal-antibody capture - ELISA. A reciprocal titre of 3 100 was considered positive.

Sheep with antibodies to BD where detected on 23 % (5/22) of the sheep farms. The seroprevalence in individual flocks was 8.5%, overall ranging from 0% to 42.8%. In spite of the percentage of sheep farms positive to BD, no clinical cases were reported.

This is the first study that shows the presence of serologically positive animals to BD in Chile. Other studies are needed in order to determine the prevalence of the disease in the sheep populations and the strains of the virus present in Chile.