Peste Des Petits Ruminant Virus

Abstract

The peste des petits ruminant (PPR) virus is a small ruminant morbillivirus (SRMV), formerly known as PPR virus, belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae, and the genotype of the virus is clustered into four lineages, based on the nucleoprotein (N) and fusion (F) gene-based sequence and phylogenetic analysis. The PPR virus causes highly contagious, OIE notifiable and economically important transboundary animal viral disease of domestic and wild small ruminants, known as “plague of small ruminant”. PPR is clinically manifested by high fever, nasal and ocular discharges, oral necrotising and erosive ulcers, gastroenteritis, and diarrhoea with respiratory distress followed by bronchopneumonia and death. The most important epizootiological risk parameters of PPR in sheep and goats are the introduction of animals to the flock from the unknown source, along with other management factors and rearing patterns. Though natural transmission occurs in cattle, buffaloes and camels, the clinical form of the disease is generally not observed. PPR can be diagnosed based on the clinical signs, pathological lesions and specific detection of the virus antigen or antibodies or genomic nucleic acid by various serological or molecular assays. With the availability of effective and safe vaccine and enabling of institutional mechanism, many countries implemented the vaccination programme to control the disease. PPR is one of the foremost constraints in enhancing the productivity of sheep and goats in developing countries, particularly affecting the economy of the poor landless, and small or marginal farmers. Considering the importance of sheep and goats in food security and socio-economic growth, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE) jointly launched an international plan for control and eradication of PPR by 2030. This chapter delivers structures of the PPR virus and its genome organisation and functions, disease transmission, epidemiology and risk factors of the disease, diagnosis, prevention and control measures with perspectives.