A Comprehensive Review of Sheep and Goat Pox Viruses: Perspective of Their Epidemiology and Economic Importance in Egypt

Abstract

ruminant animals. It is characterized by fever, anorexia, depression, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose, respiratory distress with appearance of pox lesions on areas devoid of wool and hair such as checks, lips, nostrils, inner aspect of the thigh and beneath the tail, also the size of superficial lymph nodes was larger than normal. The objective of this article was to review the epidemiology and economic importance of sheep and goat pox. The causative agent of Sheep and goat pox is SGPV of Subfamily, Chordopoxvirinae, family Poxoviridae, genus Capripoxvirus. SGPV has worldwide distribution and endemic throughout southwest and central Asia, northern and central Africa, and Middle East countries including Egypt. SGPV produce unusual economic loss due to high morbidity, mortality rate, reduction in milk and meat production, abortions, poor wool and skin quality and as a result of trade restrictions. Survival of SGPV in external environment may reach about 6 months. The virus inactivated by sun light and heat, sensitive to detergents as sodium dodecyl sulphate and ether 20%, chloroform and formalin 1%. The diseases are more severe in young animals than adults with mortalities up to 100%. Control of the disease depends on early detection and notification, restriction of animals’ movement, culling of affected and in-contact animals, and ring vaccination with inactivated vaccine.