Detection of Peste des petits ruminants virus RNA in Culicoides imicola (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Turkey.

Abstract

An outbreak of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) occurred in the Antalya Province in Turkey during  October  2015.  The  Antalya  Province  has  suitable  habitats  for  vectors.  There  is  no  information  available  on  the  role  of  Culicoides  spp.  in  the  transmission  of  Peste  des  petits  ruminants virus (PPRV). In this study we investigated the potential role of the Culicoides spp. in  the  transmission  of  PPRV.  Culicoides  were  trapped  throughout  middle  of  October  and  middle of December, 2015. A total of 12 pools of non-engorged females were analysed with real-time RT-PCR targeting the nucleocapsid (N) gene of the PPRV. PPRV RNA was detected in 7 of 12 Culicoides pools. These pools were negative for the bovine/ovine beta-actin mRNA. Culicoides spp. were identified to the species level by sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome  oxidase  subunit  I  gene.  The  species  of  Culicoides  found  PPRV  positive  was  Culicoides  imicola.  Molecular  characterization  of  field  isolates  from  recent  outbreaks  and  pools of midges that tested positive for PPRV suggests that PPRV replication might occur in Culicoides imicola, and it may have played a role in transmitting PPRV.