Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a viral infection that results in considerable economic losses among livestock. This article presents a molecular and epidemiological investigation of FMD serotype SAT2 in Iraq buffalo. The study involved 102 buffaloes from two provinces, Wassit and Dhi-Qar. Clinical examination within the herd revealed classic FMD signs, including salivation, oral and nasal mucosal erosions/ulcerations lesions and laminas of affected animals. The proportions of older animals were more likely to show infection (p > 0.05), but there was no significant difference. The female was the predominant sex infected (p > 0.05). However, this observation did not reach statistical significance. By semi-nested RT-PCR was used on epithelial tissue samples, 84.31% of samples were positive SAT2 serotypes. Those sequences were deposited into GenBank with accession numbers (PP898191-PP898192). At the same time, the seropositive rate was 80.39% on the ELISA test, which was used on serum samples for antibody detection. Genetic analysis revealed a close genetic relationship between the Iraqi SAT2 isolates and the Egyptian strains, suggesting a possible transmission route. This study outlines an increased risk of disease from SAT2 form and significant biosecurity challenges to Iraqi livestock, indicating requirements for focused at-risk surveillance and control efforts.
Keywords | Buffaloes, Epidemiological semi nested RT-PCR, SAT2, Foot-and-Mouth disease, Molecular