Molecular detection of equine infectious anemia viruses using conventional PCR and primer design for virus gag-gene region in the middle Iraqi provinces

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a viral infection that affects Equidae as a persistent infection. Infected horses usually develop a systemic disease with mild clinical signs such as irregular fever, weight loss, anemia, and weakness. The study was the first molecular record of the EIA viruses in horses in Iraq. In total, 72 blood samples (30 horses and 42 donkeys) were selected with history and signs of anemia. The study was conducted in central Iraq (Babylon, Karbala, and Al-Dawinih provinces) from 2015 to 2017. Then, primer design and molecular identification of the gag gene of the EIA virus were performed. The results showed that EIA virus infection rates in horses and donkeys in Iraq's middle regions were 16.66% and 0%, respectively. The DNA sequences of two positive EIA virus samples revealed that isolates have 271 nucleotides under accession numbers MN861108.1 and MN861109.1, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Iraqi isolates were clustered in different clades and revealed 83.1– 100% identity with EIAV world isolates in the NCBI. This study was the first molecular record of EIA viruses in Iraq. The study indicated that the gag region was an essential target for EIAV detection. Keywords: PCR, Gag, Gene, EIA, Iraq