Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR)

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of sheep and goats, which has recently re-emerged and is now found widely distributed through large parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The first documented outbreak of PPR in camels was reported from Ethiopia in 1996. Clinical disease occurred in Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, and Iran. The most critical elements in the infection of dromedary camels with PPR are virus shedding and the transmissibility to the typical host sheep and goats. The disease is caused by the peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), which belongs to the morbillivirus genus of the Paramyxovirus family. The disease is characterized by sudden death of apparently healthy animals and yellowish and later bloody diarrhea and abortion. All age, sex, and breed groups are affected. More than 50% of deaths have been reported in adult animals in comparison to calves and young camels. An epidemiological feature of some PPR outbreaks in camels is that significant number of dead animals were females recently delivered (within a month period) followed by pregnant females. Death has been always sudden and proceeded with colic and difficulty in respiration. Differential diagnosis includes Pasteurellosis, Contagious Ecthyma, and mineral poisoning. In previous disease outbreaks, immunocapture ELISA AGDT and RT-PCR were used for detection of PPRV viral antigen and to differentiate between rinderpest and PPR viruses. There is no specific treatment for PPR. However, supportive antibiotic treatment of the bacterial coinfections may decrease mortality.