Diarrhoea in wild ruminant due tocorona viruses infection

ABSTRACT

Faecal samples were collected from 135 diseased and apparently healthy wild ruminant of different species, age and sex allocated at Giza and El Mansoura zoo gardens, Egypt. Out of these animals 18 suffering from persisting diarrhoea with or without bloody faeces and 117 apparently healthy animals. Virological, and parasitological examinations were carried out on faecal samples. Parasitological examination revealed Cryptosporidae in 3 Gazzale, Coccidia spp. in 2 Oryax and gastrointestinal nematode [G.I.N.] in S Arawi sheep. Virological examinations by, haemagglutination test [HA], haemagglutination inhibition test [HI] and virus neutrilization test [VNT] revealed that coronaviruses were observed in 10 [55.5%] samples from diseased animals and in 9 [7.69%] samples from apparently healthy animals. HA titre reached to 1/16 and coronaviruses were agglutinated by antiserum of bovine coronaviruses. The isolated virus on MDBK cell culture was confirmed by VNT. These results revealed the existence of coronaviruses in wild ruminants. Antihelminthic drugs, antibiotic symptomatically and electrolyte were used in the treatment of diseased cases. Results of the present study indicate that bovine coronaviruses present in wild animals and suggested that these species may harbor coronaviruses strains which can be transmitted to other animals