Veterinary Preventive Medicine-II

SYNONYMS AND INTRODUCTION

Synonyms : Goat plague, Kata

Introduction

• Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious, acute or sub acute viral disease of goats and sheep characterized by fever, erosive stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gastro enteritis and pneumonia.
• This disease was first described in 1942 in West Africa and it is closely related to rinderpest virus, canine distemper virus and human measles virus.
• Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is a single stranded, non-segmented RNA virus belonging to the genus Morbili virus, subfamily Paramyxovirinae, family Paramyxoviridae.
• It is primarily a disease of goats and sheep. Goats, particularly young ones, (4 months to 1 year of age) are usually more severely affected than sheep.
• The infection also occurs in wild ungulates.
• Cattle, buffaloes, camels and pigs are rarely susceptible. They do not exhibit clinical signs and are unable to transmit the disease to other animals.
• Cell culture systems are ideal for virus cultivation. The PPRV grows well in vero and lamb kidney cells.
• The CPE develops within 5 days and consists of cell rounding, aggregation and syncytia formation in lamb kidney cells. In Vero cells syncytia are rare and if present are very small.
• Intracytoplasmic inclusions and vacuolation of cells are also seen. Affected animal excrete the virus in all secretions and excretions.
• Transmission requires close contact between animals. Infection occurs mainly through inhalation of aerosols and by ingestion. There is no known carrier state. The spread is not dependant on vectors.