Molecular identification of contagious ecthyma in Kanni and Kodi goats breeds of Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu

Goat farming plays a pivotal role in income generation for rural households in Virudhunagar district, providing a reliable source of livelihood and economic stability for many families. However, the present study highlights a potential threat to this vital sector, as it investigated and confirmed the outbreak of contagious ecthyma (orf) in Kanni and Kodi goat breeds in the region. The outbreak was reported from six different blocks of Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu. A total of 139 clinical cases of contagious ecthyma were reported during various outbreaks from 2022 to 2023. The results confirmed the outbreak of contagious ecthyma virus through PCR assay. This assay employed CE virus-specific primers for the GIF/IL-2 gene, a highly conserved region of the parapoxvirus genome, to diagnose contagious ecthyma (CE) virus in the kanni and kodi goat breeds of Virudhungar district.