Histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations on peste des petits ruminants, parainfluenza type 3 and respiratory syncytial virus associated pneumonias in sheep in Elazig region

The aims of this study were to detect the prevalence of Peste des Petits Ruminants, Parainfluenza Type 3 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus antigens in ovine pneumonias in Elazig by mean of immunohistochemistry, to determine seasonal distribution of these diseases, and to investigate gross and microscopic characteristics of these viruses. With this aim, total of 2391 sheep slaughtered in a slaughterhouse in Elazig between January-December of 2011 were investigated and pneumonia was detected in 568 (23.75%) animals macroscopically. Histolological examination, revealed that 528 (22.08%) samples were pneumonias while 40 were detected as blood aspiration. Microscopically these cases were classified as fibrinous (n=44, 8.33%), suppurative (n=71, 13.44%), interstitial (n=367, 69.50%), verminous (n=27, 5.11%), and pulmonary adenomatosis (n=19, 3.59%). Total of 482 pneumonic lungs, not including verminous and pulmonary adenomatosis, immunohistochemical staining method was used in order to investigate the viral antigens of Peste des Petits Ruminants, Parainfluenza Type3 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. In immunohistochemical staining no Peste des Petits Ruminants antigen was seen while Parainfluenza-3 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus antigens were detected as 6.63% (n=32) and 0.82% (n=4), respectively. In conclusion, Parainfluenza-3 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus antigens were detected as important etiologic agents in ovine pneumonia Elazig. Keywords: Immunohistochemistry, Parainfluenza Type 3, Peste des Petits Ruminants, Pneumonia, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Sheep