Aim: To assess the suitability, sensitivity and specificity of F gene
based RT-PCR for detection of PPRV infection in India.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 26 blood samples collected from 26 animals suspected for Peste des
petits ruminant (PPR) were tested by RT- PCR using F1/F2 primers set and then
compared with sandwich-ELISA for detection of PPR virus.
Results: Out of
26 samples tested RT-PCR reported 10 (38.46%) samples as positive as compared to
Sandwich-ELISA which reported 11(42.30%) samples as positive for PPR virus.
Further analysis of samples revealed that 3 (11.53%) samples which were negative
by sandwich-ELISA reported positive with RT-PCR. Whereas 4 (15.38 %) samples
shown negative by RT-PCR were positive with sandwich-ELISA. The relative
sensitivity and specificity of F-gene based RT-PCR when compared with
sandwich-ELISA was 63.60% and 80.00%, respectively. The overall agreement
between the two tests was of 73.10% with kappa value 0.442, which suggesting a
moderate agreement between the two tests.
Conclusion: A low sensitivity
and specificity along with moderate agreement shown by F- gene based RT-PCR when
compared with sandwich ELISA suggests that some other highly sensitive and
specific primers should be explored for detection of PPR by RT-PCR.
Keywords:
evaluation, Peste des petits ruminant (PPR), RT- PCR, sandwich-ELISA.
