MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF FMD VIRUS DURING 2016-2017 IN EGYPT

Mahmoud Abd Algayed, Emad Elgendy, Naglaa Hagag, Momtaz Shahin and Madiha Salah Ibrahim*

ABSTRACT

Foot and Mouth Disease have an extremely contagious nature with high exceptional economic losses making FMD of a primary animal health concern. In this study, we aimed to detect and characterize FMDV in Egypt. Totally, 135 out of 785 samples (37/341 (10.85%) and 98/444 (22.1%) in 2016 and 2017; respectively, were detected from clinically infected animals from different Egyptian governorates by ELIZA test. Ten positive samples were molecularly characterized by RT-PCR, the results showed and confirmed that these animals were infected with FMDV serotype A (16.3%), O (79.3%) and SAT2 (4.4%). Only two samples could be isolated on the BHK-21 cell culture and were of serotype O. Three samples representing serotype A, O and SAT2 were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed for the VP1 gene. The results showed that serotype O virus was closely related to O/Ismalia/2016, whereas serotype A virus was closely related to A/Fayoum/2013, and serotype SAT2 virus was closely related to SAT2/Kal/2014. These results reported the characterization of FMDV strains that co-circulated in cattle and buffalo in Egypt during 2016-2017, revealing that vaccination strategies should be reviewed aiming to effective protection of farm animals. Furthermore, FMDV serotype O was the predominant strain that continuously circulated in Egypt during 2016-2017.

Keywords: FMDV, ELISA, Phylogenetic analysis, Africa, Egypt.