Seroepidemiological Assay of Water Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) Enzootic Pneumonia Agents (BVDV, BHV-1, bPI3V) in Khuzestan Province of Iran Mohsen A. Lotfi, Kamalzadeh B. Morteza, and Shahrokh C. Navidpour Razi Vaccine Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran Email: {M.Lotfi, M.Kamalzadeh, S.Navidpour}@rvsri.ac.ir Sholeh D. Javadi Department of Biology, Centeral Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Email: sholeh javadi@yahoo.com Abstract—In most cases, bacterial pneumonia is a secondary infection, frequently prefaced by more common viral infections in the upper respiratory tract, such as bovine herpes virus 1 (BHV1); the causative agent of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), and parainfluenza type 3 (PV-3). In this study we evaluated seroprevalence of three main viral agents of bovine enzootic pneumonia in southwestern of Iranian buffalo. 513 sera sample from nine region of Khuzestan province were investigated. Sera were tested by ELISA for bPI3V and BHV-1, indirect Immunofluorescence Assay Test (IFAT) for BVDV antibody detection. Seroprevalences for PI3V, BHV- 1 and BVDV was 45.2%, 5.5% and 32.6% respectively. This result was confirmed and completed computed study about buffalo enzootic pneumonia causatives in Khuzestan province. Index Terms—buffalo, enzootic pneumonia, bovine respiratory disease, seroepidemiology, PI3V, BHV-1, BVDV I. INTRODUCTION Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are mainly distributed in tropical and sub-tropical regions, such as Asia, North Africa, Australia and Central America [1]. They are raised and kept as economically important animals because they provide milk, meat and hides of good quality and also their dung is good as fertilizer. Enzootic pneumonia or Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) complex is a major disease, classically in cattle and buffalo. The etiopathogenesis of BRD is multifactorial and complex. In this complex etiology an equivalent role plays both the infectious agents as well as the environmental factors which are called also as environmental stressors. The most significant pathogens which are involved in the etiopathogenesis of Enzootic pneumonia, i.e. suitable species of viruses such as Manuscript received June 6, 2015; revised January 12, 2016. (Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), parainfluenza virus type 3 (PI3V), Bovine Herpes Virus type 1 (BHV1), Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), are usually associated with concurrent bacterial infections [2]-[5]. These viral pathogens infect the upper respiratory tract, resulting in rhinitis, tracheitis, and bronchitis but have little direct relationship to pulmonary disease. The BRSV is a pneumovirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. BRSV is an enveloped non-segmented negative-stranded RNAvirus [3], [6], [7]. BRSV is recognized as one of viral agents of lower respiratory tract and lung infections in beef and dairy calves. Respiratory clinical signs of BRSV are in feeder calves commonly [6]-[13]. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, caused by BHV-1, is a disease of domestic and wild cattle. BHV-1 is a member of the genus Varicellovirus in the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, which belongs to the Herpesviridae family [9]. The BHV- 1 causes respiratory disease, abortion, conjunctivitis, and other clinical forms of disease complex. Genetic analyses of various clinical isolates have found at least three distinct BHV-1 subtypes; a respiratory subtype, a genital subtype, and an encephalitic subtype designated as BHV- 1.1, BHV-1.2, and BHV-1.3, respectively [2], [6], [11]. The BVDV is classified in the virus family Flaviviridae and is a member of the genus Pestivirus. This virus is detected in most clinical cases that are investigated early after the onset of clinical signs [2], [6]. BPI-3V is in the genus Respirovirus of the subfamily Paramyxovirinae, order Mononegavirales, of the family Paramyxoviridae [14]. This virus causes clinical signs in the respiratory system of cattle and sheep. Antibodies of BPI-3V have been demonstrated in humans, cow, buffalo, sheep, and other animals. Like BHV-1, BPI-3V is a viral agent of shipping fever [2]. Seroepidemiological studies can define seroprevalence and distribution of bovine major respiratory viruses. Diagnosis of major viral causes of bovine respiratory infections has been based largely on the serological testing by VNT, ELISA, IFA, HI, and etc. Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies Vol. 3, No. 3, September 2016 ©2016 Journal of Advanced Agricultural Technologies 213 doi: 10.18178/joaat.3.3.213-216