Abstract:

[Objective] To determine the causes of morbidity and mortality of some introduced goat kids in a large-scale dairy goat farm in Inner Mongolia, so as to provide a scientific basis for this farm to strengthen the prevention and control of major epidemic diseases. [Method] The pathological anatomy obaservation of the diseased goat kids with typical clinical signs was made. Pathological sections were prepared using aseptically collected lung samples with lesions. Serum was prepared using aseptically collected blood samples, and the goatpox virus antibody in serum was detected by high-sensitive fluorescence technology. The lung tissues as well as nasal and eye swabs were aseptically gathered, and the P32 gene of goatpox virus was detected by PCR assay and sequenced. The obtained the sequences were subjected to comparision with BLAST and homology analysis. [Result] Pathological autopsy showed that there was round pox in oral, nasal, laryngeal, and tracheal mucosa of the diseased goat kids; the lungs were obviously edematous with red pox on the surface, and were opaque and gray-white jelly like following incision; pox was also visible in the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum mucosa. Histopathologic examination revealed that the alveoli were intensely stained with red; the alveolar interstitium was widened, and the alveolar cavity contained exfoliated epithelial cells; type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells proliferated and had a metaplasia into acinar-like shape; there were massive inflammatory cells in the lumen of bronchi. The goatpox virus antibody in serum of the diseased goat kids was tested positive using high-sensitive fluorescence technology. Lung tissue （GTPV-YP1）, nasal swab （GTPV-YP2） and eye swab （GTPV-YP3） samples were collected, and the P32 gene of a predicted length of 983 bp was all amplified by PCR assay from these samples. The P32 gene sequences of GTPV-YP1 and GTPV-YP2 samples had 100% homology with goatpox virus Chinese isolate KC951854.1 and Oman isolate MN072621.1, and the P32 gene sequence of GTPV-YP3 sample was 99.0% homologous to goatpox virus Chinese isolates EF514892.1, HM572329.1, JN596275.1 and MG817382.1. [Conclusion] The goatpox virus infection was determined as the cause of the illness in the introduced dairy goat kids on the farm by pathological anatomy observation, histological examination, serological detection, and pathogen PCR identification.

Key words: goat, goatpox virus, diagnostic technology