Molecular Epidemiology of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Viruses Circulated in Bangladesh from 2011–2014

Background: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the highly contagious and economically devastating diseases of cloven-hoofed animals in Bangladesh. The present study was undertaken to investigate the molecular epidemiology of circulating FMD virus (FMDV) in Bangladesh during the period of 2011 to 2014.

Methodology: A total of 134 samples from clinically FMD infected cattle were collected from 15 different outbreak areas of Bangladesh. All samples were subjected to RNA extraction and RT-PCR for detection and serotyping of FMDV in Bangladesh.

Results: Out of 134 samples, 73% (98) samples were positive for FMDV. Three different serotypes (O, A, and Asia 1) of FMDV were found to be present in Bangladesh. Among the positive FMDV, serotype O and Asia 1 accounts for about 31% followed by A (7%) have been detected. Phylogenetic analysis of partial VP1 nucleotide sequences demonstrated that all BLRI/FMDV serotype O isolates were closely related to PanAsia strains, including those that originated from Bangladesh, Bhutan and India for the period of 2012–2014. Results of the sequencing of VP1 gene of FMDV serotype O revealed that there was slight divergence among BLRI isolated strains. BLRI/127 isolates of FMDV serotype A showed close resemblances with the isolates originated from India during 2000 to 2006. While BLRI/ FMDV serotype Asia 1 isolates were most closely related to other FMDV isolates collected in Bangladesh during 2013.

Conclusions: Assessment of genetic variation of FMD viruses in the field is useful for estimating the origin of outbreaks and provides valuable information applicable to control measures such as regulating animal movement and selecting appropriate vaccine strains.