Molecular Detection and Characterization of Newcastle Disease Virus from Chickens in Mid-Rift Valley and Central Part of Ethiopia

Esubalew Endale Alemu; Bayeta Senbata; Melaku Sombo; Chala Guyassa; Dawit Hailu Alemayehu; Eleni Kidane; Adane Mihret; Andargachew Mulu; Hunduma Dinka

doi:10.2147/VMRR.S442787

Molecular Detection and Characterization of Newcastle Disease Virus from Chickens in Mid-Rift Valley and Central Part of Ethiopia

Vet Med (Auckl). 2024 May 8:15:149-157. doi: 10.2147/VMRR.S442787. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Esubalew Endale Alemu¹, Bayeta Senbata², Melaku Sombo², Chala Guyassa², Dawit Hailu Alemayehu³, Eleni Kidane⁴, Adane Mihret³, Andargachew Mulu³, Hunduma Dinka¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Biology, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama, Ethiopia.
² Molecular Biology Laboratory, Animal Health Institute (AHI), Sebeta, Ethiopia.
³ Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Research Directorate, Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
⁴ TB and HIV/AIDS Disease Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly infectious poultry disease that causes major economic losses worldwide. The disease is caused by Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) and early detection and identification of the viral strain is essential. Having knowledge of the NDV strain genotype that circulates in some regions would help in designing an effective vaccine to control the disease. In this regard, there is little information on NDV strain in chickens in mid Rift Valley and the central part of Ethiopia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to detect and characterize NDV strain genotype from chickens in mid-Rift Valley and the central part of Ethiopia and test whether this NDV strain genotype matches the vaccine strain currently used in the study area.

Methods: A total of 98 samples: 78 (tracheal and cloacal) swabs from chicken pools of five and 20 tissue samples were collected. To detect NDV strain, conserved region of the virus Matrix (M) gene was amplified by qRT-PCR. To characterize NDV strain genotypes, M-gene positive samples were specifically re-amplified by conventional PCR targeting the Fusion (F) gene region and sequenced by Sanger method.

Results: 13.26% of tested samples were positive for NDV strain in the study area with statistically significant difference (P<0.05) among the study sites. Further characterization of the F genes from NDV strain isolates by phylogenetic analysis indicated that one field isolate clustered with genotype VII whereas three of the isolates clustered to genotype I, II, and III. The isolate of the current NDV strain vaccine in use in the study area clustered with genotype II.

Conclusion: The current study indicates the existence of different NDV strain genotype from that of the vaccine strain currently used. Even though large-scale characterization of several isolates is required at national level, the current study laid baseline information for the existence of variations between field NDV strain genotype and vaccine strain currently used against ND in the country.

Keywords: APMV-1 strain genotype; F gene; mid rift valley; phylogenetic tree; qRT-PCR.

Grants and funding

This research was financially supported by the post graduate office of Adama Science and Technology University. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. However, with its working procedure, post graduate office only financially supported the authors during the study.