Seroprevalence of Schmallenberg virus infection in sheep in Kars province

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection is an infectious disease transmitted by species vectors as Culicoides sp. and characterised by fever, anorexia, decreased milk yield, loss of condition, abortion and birth of offspring with arthrogryposis hydranencephaly syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and presence of SBV infection in sheep in private farms in Kars province. For this purpose, blood serum samples were taken from 376 (301 females + 75 males) healthy-looking Akkaraman sheep raised in small-scale family-type farms in five central villages of Kars province (Kümbetli, Çakmak, Dikme, Subatan, Cumhuriyet) and evaluated for SBV-specific antibodies with a commercial ELISA kit. The animals included in the study were 1-4 years old. Of the sampled animals, 1.1% (4/376) were positive and 1.1% (4/376) were suspected. Seropositivity rates were determined between 0% and 2.53% according to the settlements. 1.33% (4/301) of ewes were antibody positive and all rams were antibody negative (0/75). Of the four animals with suspected antibodies, two were sheep (2/301, 0.66%) and two were rams (2/75, 2.66%). It was shown that there was no statistically significant variation in seropositivity rates amongst age groups, genders, and villages (P>0.05). This study examined the seroprevalence of SBV in sheep grown in the province of Kars. The presence of the infection was serologically demonstrated for the first time, and it was determined that the seroprevalence rate of SBV infection was low.