Peste Des Petits Ruminants: A Major Threat to Small Ruminant Health and Production

Abstract

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and often fatal disease affecting sheep, goats, and wild small ruminants. It presents as an acute or sub-acute febrile condition, featuring symptoms such as fever, erosive stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis, and pneumonia. The disease poses a significant economic threat to small ruminant production. Peste des petits ruminants is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, extending to the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, and Asia. The PPR virus spreads through close contact between infected and susceptible animals, commonly occurring in shared grazing and watering areas. Infected animals release the virus through exhaled air, secretions, and excretions. Field diagnosis is based on clinical, pathological, and epizootiological observations. Laboratory confirmation involves virus isolation, detection of viral antigens, nucleic acid isolation and sequencing, as well as identifying specific antibodies in the serum. To combat the disease, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the Office International des Epizooties have collaborated on a global eradication strategy. The goal is to control and eliminate PPR by the year 2030.