Let's Eradicate CAE from Australian Goats

11/06/2026

Research from Thailand
These researchers compared PCR and ELISA tests. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28865204/ They found that PCR tests had a lower sensitivity and higher specificity than ELISA so didn't pick up all carriers but had very few to none false positives. The best result was obtained by using both tests together- similar to what Australian researchers found.

For preventive and control strategies of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) infection in dairy goats, performance of the available diagnostic tests was described as one of the most important and necessary aspects. The study aimed at evaluating the diagnostic test performance, including PCR,...

14/05/2026

8 dairy goat farms in Brazil were tested for CAE and positives were from 7 to 90 % of these herds. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42105129/ Researchers called for improved control & biosecurity practices.

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLVs) are widespread retroviruses of goats and sheep with significant economic and health impacts on small ruminant production systems. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of SRLVs in dairy goat flocks from Brazil. A total of 433 blo...

07/05/2026

Survey in Portugal
Randomly chosen sheep flocks and goat herds (59) were tested for Small Ruminant Lentivirus (another name for CAE). Over half had a least 1 positive animal with goat herds more likely to have a positive https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/8/1251 . Dairy animals and those over 2 were more likely to be positive as were herds that allowed untested animals to join the herd and those that took part in competitions.

Small ruminant lentiviruses are longstanding viral infections affecting sheep and goats worldwide, resulting in reduced efficiency and economic losses. In Portugal, updated epidemiological data are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence and risk factors for SRLV in Portugal.....

11/04/2026

What is the best test for CAE ?
This review article gives you a comparison of the different methods https://www.scientific-publications.net/en/article/1001838/ . In Australia we only have the ELISA and PCR tests commercially available. ELISA tests for antibodies but is more accurate than ELISAs for other diseases as once infected with CAE goats are infected for life. PCRs test for sections of the actual CAE virus.

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis and Maedi-Visna are specific diseases of small ruminants. They are caused by RNA viruses (CAEV and MVV) belonging to the family Retroviridae, gen Lentivirus.

29/03/2026

The lung form of CAE
Don't forget that CAE can also cause severe pneumonia for which there is no cure. Read https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10406387251414534 While sheep with the Small Ruminant Lentivirus generally get teh lung and udder problems when infected with this virus, goat generally get the arthritic form but also can get lung disease.

Interstitial lung diseases of sheep and goats, which are caused by a range of infectious, parasitic, and toxic agents, have substantial negative health and welf...

21/03/2026

CAE levels in Lithuanian goats
CAE sero-positive levels were 19.5% https://sciforum.net/paper/view/29556 with larger herds more likely to have positives.

Introduction: Pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii, lentiviruses (e.g., caprine arthritis- encephalitis,CAE), Hypoderma spp., Neospora caninum, Mycoplasma spp. and pestiviruses (Border disease, BD) play an important role in goat farming in Lithuania. Unfortunatelly, there is a lack of information on....

19/03/2026

Podcast on CAE
A USA vet discusses CAE https://thriftyhomesteader.com/cae-in-goats/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQoO2NleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFuVjZRTFFNeDdIdlpobzlvc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoXmwiFZ9ie_SvsrACIOg27y3xsz3c9J9bTYIClh78sx87Hav9zFNjmoahaF_aem_My8J9AFRl2kwgr2otvAyOQ I spoke to this program a few years ago about CAE.

CAE is a contagious disease that is debilitating to goats and may eventually cause arthritis, mastitis, pneumonia, and weight loss.

18/03/2026

CAE book now updated
Do you have my book that summarises all the research done on CAE. I have just updated it. There is both an e-book via Paypal or a hard copy book posted in Australia. Cost is $25 or $33 posted email me [email protected] if you want a copy.

14/03/2026

3 tests for CAE
This reference compares the 3 different tests for CAE https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/METHODS-OF-LENTIVIRAL-INFECTION-SURVEILLANCE-AND-IN-Enache-B%C4%83r%C4%83it%C4%83reanu/79992a3a86431f36a1ba29172ca3893eeb095c4c . Note Australia only has the ELISA test. All 3 tests can be used. The ELISA test is easier for labs to do and hence cheaper.

10/03/2026

Sweden has a CAE control program
A survey of all goat owners in Sweden got 684 responses from a wide variety of goat farmers. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/5/826 Of these herds 87 were in the CAE control program or 13%.

Kid health problems are important welfare and productivity concerns in goat farming, yet herd-level patterns and management responses remain poorly described in many production systems. This cross-sectional study investigated farmer-reported kid health problems in Swedish goat herds and their associ...