Abstract
Peste des petits ruminants is a systemic and highly contagious disease in goats and sheep. Causing agent (Peste des petits ruminants virus) is a Morbillivirus in Paramyxoviridae. The disease is enzootic in Iran and the west of Iran especially Kermanshah province has a lot of serious problems in this case. Therefore, in this study domestic small livestock were investigated by both serological (Competitive ELISA) and molecular (RT-PCR) methods in Kermanshah. The aim was comparison of sensitivity of these methods in diagnosis of PPR in early stage especially before diarrhea onset. By RT-PCR assay, 23 from 30 samples turned out negative and 7 has become positive (23.33% positive). 2 samples from sera related to those 7 animals were negative in ELISA test and the other 5 sera were positive. So, overlapping percent of the assays is 71.42. Moreover, sensitivity of PCR is 6.70% more than cELISA. In spite of more costs of the PCR than ELISA, accuracy and speed of PCR is a specific advantage which suggests virus isolation and competitive ELISA can be substituted by PCR to control and prevention of the illness. Regarding to the results, it is suggested to do more investigations on the prevalence of the disease in Iran to gain clear information about prevalence and risk factors of the infection in different parts of the country.
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