Epidemiological assessment of risk factors associated with bovine ephemeral fever virus exposure among sheep and goats in South Korea
Hwang, Jeong-MinGa, Yun JiYeh, Jung-Yong
Background: Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) is an arthropod-borne virus classified as a type species of the genusEphemerovirus, family Rhabdoviridae. BEFV is the causative agent of bovine ephemeral fever (BEF), a non-contagiousdisease of acute febrile clinical signs in cattle and water buffalo. Some species might act as reservoir hosts, and antibodiesto BEFV have also been found in asymptomatic sheep, goats, pigs, and many wild animals. This study aimed to conducta retrospective cross-sectional serological screening in South Korea to address BEFV seroprevalence and identify riskfactors for becoming seropositive for the virus in sheep and goats.Materials, Methods & Results: The apparent prevalence rates were considered to be the animal-level prevalence, definedas the proportion of serum neutralization test (SNT)-positive animals out of the total number of animals tested in the studyarea, and flock prevalence was defined as the proportion of SNT-positive flocks out of the total number of tested flocksin the area. A flock was classified as positive if at least one animal was SNT-positive. At the national level in 2011, 28 of177 flocks (15.8%; 95% CI, 11.2-21.9%) and 71 of 498 heads (14.3%, 95% CI: 11.5-17.6%) that were analyzed showedserum neutralizing antibodies against BEFV. Our results revealed that age class, vector control, and geographic locationaffected seroprevalence to differing extents. In the univariate analysis, older age was a significant risk factor (OR, 2.327;95% CI, 1.147-4.721; P = 0.017 in adults). The management risk factor attributes showed that preventive measures, suchas routine application of insecticides in farms, decreased the odds of seropositivity for BEFV (OR, 0.514; 95% CI, 0.267-0.991; P = 0.044). Vector control was a significant protective factor, while animal species, flock size, and flock structurewere not significantly associated. Differences in seroprevalence between variations in the...(AU)
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