2. INTRODUCTION:
Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) also known as goat plague is an acute and highly contagious
viral infection of small ruminants (sheep, goats, etc.)
3. CAUSATIVE AGENT:
PPR is caused by (PPRV), a member of morbillivirus group belonging to Paramyxoviridae
family. These viruses are enveloped, pleomorphic containing SSRNA, about 16 kb long.
4. Symptoms:
This disease is characterized by:
pyrexia (<400c),
oculo-nasal secretion,
necrotic-stomatitis,
pneumonia,
respiratory distress,
conjunctivitis,
necrosis of mucous membranes
gastroenteritis, which may results in diarrhea
5. SURVIVAL PERIOD:
PPRV may remain alive at 60 0C for about 60 mints,
PH ranging from 4.0 to 10.0
Survival period is increased in frozen and chilled tissues but can be killed by high quality
disinfectants
6. TRANSMISSION:
The transmission of the disease mainly occurs when there is a contact established between
susceptible and infected sheeps and goats.
A large number of viruses are present in the secretions discharged from nose, eyes, mouth
and faeces.
When infected animals sneeze or cough aerosols are resealed containing tremendous
amount of virus and get transferred to nearby susceptible animal.
7. EPIDEMIOLOGY:
This disease was considered as restricted issue only in West Africa, but Now it is known
to exist in all over Africa.
8. DIAGNOSIS:
In Pakistan, PRR was first reported in 1994 when the confirmative diagnosis was made by
PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
This was additionally confirmed when the PPRV antigen was diagnosed during outbreaks
at different regions using indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ic-
ELISA)
