Contagious Pustular Dermatitis Virus (CPDV) of genus parapoxvirus, subfamily Chordopoxvirinae, family Poxviridae, causes Contagious Pustular Dermatitis in sheep and goats worldwide and in Egypt. Forty samples of skin lesions from suspected 30 sheep and 10 goats from different areas of Qaliubeya governorate were subjected to virus isolation on embryonated chicken eggs (ECE), antigen detection using agar gel immune-diffusion test (AGIDT) and indirect-Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and molecular detection of viral DNA using PCR. Positive results were showed in 36 of samples (28/30 of sheep samples and 8/10 of goat samples) upon isolation on ECE by the 3rd passage and 22 of samples (17/28 of sheep isolates and 5/8 of goat isolates) using AGIDT and indirect-IFA. PCR detection showed positive results with 30 /40 of samples before isolation (23/30 and 7/10 of sheep and goat samples, respectively) while it showed positive results with 26 /36 of samples upon isolation (20/28 and 6/8 of sheep and goat samples, respectively). It was concluded that AGIDT and indirect-IFA were suitable methods for CPDV detection but PCR was most specific and sensitive diagnostic tool for rapid detection of CPDV. |