Seroepidemiology of Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) infection in goats in Kars province of Türkiye

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) induces a multi-systemic inflammatory disorder in goats, causing severe economic losses characterized by reduced milk yield, birth weight, and live weight gain, alongside high mortality rates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence and epidemiological status of CAEV infection in goats in small scale enterprises in the Kars province, including the central district and four surrounding districts (Kağızman, Selim, Digor, and Sarıkamış) of Türkiye. To this end, blood sera samples were collected from 376 female, healthy-looking Anatolian Hair goats and analyzed for CAEV specific antibodies with a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). The sampled goats selected for this study ranged from 1 to >5 years of age. The overall seroprevalence of CAEV infection was determined to be 24.47%, with the highest seroprevalence (40.00%) detected in the central district. Depending on the sampling locations, seroprevalence values ranged from 16% to 40%. It was shown that there was statistically significant variation in seropositivity rates between age groups and sampling sites (P <0.001). This study provides the first serological evidence of CAEV infection, revealing a high seroprevalence in the region. These epidemiological findings highlight a widespread infection within local enterprises, providing critical insights for developing effective herd-based eradication programs and guiding future control and prevention strategies.