Haileleul NegusssieSentayhu Minda2026-08-042026-08-042012-04-30https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/8745The study was conducted in five regional states of Ethiopia: Amhara, Oromia, Southern Nation Nationalities and People's (SNNP), Tigray, and Addis Ababa city council from January 2011 to March 2012 with the objectives of identifying the serotypes and topotypes of foot and mouth disease viruses and to determine the genetic relationship of FMD viruses in Ethiopia. Epithelial tissue samples were collected from cattle and swine found in the FMD outbreak areas of the country and submitted to the National Veterinary Institute (NVI), Debre Zeit, Ethiopia and World Reference Laboratory for FMD (WRLFMD), Pirbright, UK. Thus, virus isolation, serotype identification, and phylogenetic analysis were performed. From the total of 59 samples, cytopathic effect (CPE) was observed in 43 (72 .88%) samples in BHK- 21 cell culture. Serotyping of FMD viruses were made by applying agarose gel-based RT-PCR at NVI, Debre Zeit, and by cell culture ELISA at WRL for FMD, Pirbright, UK and serotype 0 was recorded throughout the country where outbreaks occurred. A total of 36 samples were sent to WRLFMD, Pirbright, UK for further molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis. Of this, 12 serotype 0 FMD viruses of Ethiopia were further characterized and phylogenetic relationships with each other and type 0 isolates from other countries of the world were determined. All serotype 0 isolates of Ethiopia falls into a single topotype, East Africa-3 (EA-3). More than 98% similarity with each other and approximately 14-15% different to members of the EA-l , EA-2, EA-4, and ME-SA topotypes of other countries of Africa and Asia were found . Serotype 0 isolated from Mekele University Farm was also 93-95% similarity with Sudan 0 isolates of 1999, 2004 and 2008. Generally regular investigation of FMD outbreaks to have more detailed information about the serotypes and topotypes circulating in Ethiopia is important for effective vaccine development.enEthiopiaFMDVPhylogenetic AnalysisSerotype and TopotypeThesis