Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) causes a severe contagious disease of sheep and goats and has spread extensively through the developing world. Because of its disproportionately large impact on the livelihoods of low-income livestock keepers, and the availability of effective vaccines and good diagnostics, the virus is being targeted for global control and eventual eradication. In this review we examine the origin of the virus and its current distribution, and the factors that have led international organizations to conclude that it is eradicable. We also review recent progress in the molecular and cellular biology of the virus and consider areas where further research is required to support the efforts being made by national, regional, and international bodies to tackle this growing threat.

Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) disease was confirmed in West African Dwarf goats. They were managed symptomatically with antibiotics and antidarrhoeics. Following clinical recovery, faeces were collected every week from 40 recovered goats to monitor excretion of the PPR virus haemagglutinins in their faeces. All the 40 recovered goats shed the PPR virus haemagglutinins for 11 weeks post recovery. Nine goats (22.5%) continued shedding the viral antigen 12 weeks post recovery. There was correlation between weekly mean haemagglutination titre of the PPR virus and time post recovery with r = −0.7504 (p < 0.01).

Persistent detection of peste de petits ruminants antigen in the faeces of recovered goats.

West African Dwarf (WAD) goats are widely distributed in the subhumid and humid zones of Africa but are particularly associated with less favourable environments. Adaptive features such as feeding behaviour, efficiency of feed use and disease tolerance enable WAD goats to thrive on natural resources left untouched by other domestic ruminants. In marginal environments this goat remains the only domestic species that is able to survive. Among its physiological features small body size and low metabolic requirements are important traits that enable the animal to minimize its requirements in area or season where food sources are limited in quality and quantity. Specialized feeding behaviour and an efficient digestive system enable the animal to maximize food intake. Coat colour plays an important role in the evolved adaptation of this goat type. Reproductive fitness as manifested by prolific breeding is a major factor of adaptation. Defence mechanisms against infectious agents enable this type to thrive well in the hot humid tropics. The mechanisms involved in the regulation of these physiological functions of WAD goat are discussed. An understanding of these mechanisms could result in the development of improved techniques for enhancing goat productivity in humid environments.

Physiological adaptation to the humid tropics with special reference to the West African Dwarf (WAD) goat

L.O. Wosu

Papers

Haemagglutination test for diagnosis of peste des petits ruminants disease in goats with samples from live animals

Standardisation of the haemagglutination test for peste des petits ruminants (PPR)

Reproductive ability of female goats following recovery from clinical peste des petits ruminants