Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR)

21.4.5 Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR)

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is also called “pseudorinderpest.” It is an acute, viral disease of small ruminants that causes fever, sores in the mouth, intestinal infections, and pneumonia. The PPR virus is closely related to the virus causing rinderpest. It seems to affect sheep, goats and certain species of deer, and can be confused with rinderpest or contagious pneumonia. Although cattle may be infected with the virus, they do not usually become sick, and they do not transmit the disease. PPR is common in Africa and the Middle East. It has recently caused problems in Asia also.

Symptoms:

 Animals develop a high fever and a dry muzzle.

 There may be a watery nasal discharge, followed several days later by a discharge of pus which gives a bad odor.

 Sores are also found in the mouth and, upon slaughter or necropsy, throughout the digestive system.

 Diarrhea.

 Pneumonia.

 Sometimes death within 21 days.

Postmortem Findings:

 Rotten sores are found in the mouth and throughout the stomach and intestines.

 Pneumonia.

Diagnosis:

 Based on symptoms and postmortem findings.

 If possible, diagnosis should be confirmed by isolating the virus in a laboratory.

Treatment:

 There is no specific treatment. However, the use of antibiotics and anti-parasite drugs may decrease the number of animals that die.

Prevention:

 PPR vaccine may be available. If not, rinderpest vaccine is effective. During an outbreak, you have two options:

1. Vaccinate in a circle around the affected geographic area (but not in it).

1. Vaccinate in the area of the outbreak but only vaccinate healthy-looking animals.

Caution:

 Vaccinating within the area of the outbreak may save more animals. But, it has risks; the community may blame the AHA for any animals that become sick after vaccination. Therefore, if you decide to vaccinate in the outbreak area, you must communicate very well with the community. You must explain that animals already incubating the virus at the time of vaccination may still become ill and die (from the disease and NOT from the vaccine). You must also explain that the vaccine takes several days before it is effective, and the animal may get the disease beforehand.

 Do not use the old GTV Vaccine (Goat Tissue Virus Vaccine) for Rinderpest. It may actually make the situation worse.