Immunohistochemical Detection of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Viral Antigen from the Cases of Naturally Occurring Pneumonia in Sheep

In this study, the presence and distribution of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) viral antigen in sheep pneumonia were investigated in Erzurum province. For this purpose, a total of 70 pneumonic sheep lungs were examined both histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Tissue sections were routinely stained with hematoxylin and eosin and, immunohistochemical staining procedure. The presence of PPR viral antigen was detected in 8 (11.42%) out of 70 pneumonic lungs Microscopic findings as necrotic bronchitis, bronchiolitis, syncytial cells of pulmonary tissues together with viral intracytoplasmic or intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in some samples of lungs. PPR viral antigen was detected frequently in the cytoplasm and rarely in the nucleus, including the luminal surfaces and in the cytoplasm of alveoli epithelial cells, bronchial glands, bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial cells, syncytial cells and alveolar macrophages. Viral antigen was seen mostly in lungs with interstitial pneumonia. The results of the present study showed that the presence of PPR in pneumonic lungs of sheep obtained was 11.42% in the region of Erzurum and it has a role in aetiological factors in naturally occurring pneumonia in sheep.