Phylogenetic analysis of Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) according to Gene (F) and (N) in affected animals in Khorasan Razavi

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious, fatal, and severe viral disease of small ruminants. The causative agent is a morbillivirus, Peste des petitsruminants virus (PPRV). This study was performed to detect and identify recently circulating PPR virus in small ruminants in the Khorasan Razavi region in Iran. A total of 100 samples(blood, spleen and lymph node) were collected from affected and dead animals. All of the samples were positive with Reverse Transcriptase PCR for viral genome. 7 positive samples by RT-PCR were selected randomly for sequencing of the nucleoprotein (N) gene and fusion gene (F), and genetically characterized phylogenetic analysis of PPR virus strains. Four lineages of PPR virus have been identified based on sequence analysis of the nucleoprotein (N) and fusion (F) gene all around the world. In this study Phylogenetic trees were drawn up based on sequence of the N gene and gene. Both trees have two distinct clusters, and all the detected strains are in the 4th lineage and are located in the first cluster of each tree.