Phylogenetic Analysis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus from Cattle in Nigeria, 2017-2020

The aim of this study was to detect and characterize foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes circulating in cattle from Nigeria and to determine the genetic relationship with FMDV from previous studies in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was undertaken between 2017 and 2020, during which a total of 234 epithelial tissue samples were collected from reported outbreaks in nine states across Nigeria over a four-year period. Serotypes O/EA-3 and SAT2/VII were identified in samples from 2017 and 2018, serotypes A/Africa/G-IV and SAT2/VII in 2019, and all three serotypes including O/EA-3 and O/WA were identified in samples from 2020. This study identified the presence of three FMDV serotypes (O/EA-3 and O/WA, A/Africa/G-IV and SAT2/VII) circulating in Nigeria. The three serotypes detected in this study can be recommended for production of the appropriate vaccines to control FMDV in Nigeria.