Presence of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis in goats in Lezhë County, Albania
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14188682Keywords:
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis, Goat, Albania, SeroprevalenceAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) in goats,
within a region in northwestern Albania, specifically in the villages surrounding the Lezhë County. CAE,
caused by the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus, is a persistent viral infection in goats, characterized by
chronic inflammatory disease, which leads to substantial economic repercussions. While CAE is non
zoonotic, the need for effective monitoring and control measures is critical, underscoring the importance
of comprehensive screening across Albania’s goat populations. The detection of CAEV infection in this
study was performed through serological analysis, employing the Maedi-Visna/CAEV Ab ELISA assay, a
method designed for the identification of CAEV-specific antibodies. A total of 78 goats, randomly
selected from four different herds, underwent serological testing to evaluate the prevalence of CAEV
infection. Notably, 38.46% of the goats tested positive for CAEV, in an overall between-herd prevalence
of 25%. These findings, based on serological evidence, provide strong confirmation of the presence of
CAEV within the Lezhë County.
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