PPR in Small Ruminants | Peste des petits | Goat Plague

PPR in Small Ruminants is a viral disease that mostly affects goats and sheep. This is a disastrous disease of small ruminants. It is not a zoonotic disease. Peste des petits, also known as goat plague is similar to rinderpest. If your animal gets infected with PPR or if you want to prevent your animals from getting the infection then you are at the right place. Here we are going to discuss each and every detail about Pneumoenteritis (PPR).

Other Names: PPR, Goat Plague, Pneumoenteritis, Pseudorinderpest, KATA, Contagious pustular stomatitis.

Cause of PPR in Small ruminants:

Peste des Petits is caused by a PPR virus (peste des petits virus). This virus belongs to the genus Morbillivirus in the family of Paramyxoviridae. PPR virus is very much similar to those viruses that cause Rinderpest in cattle and measles in humans.

Some Characteristics of PPR virus:

• Enveloped RNA, single stranded, -ve sense virus that is helical is shape
• PPR virus can be killed by many disinfectants like NaOH, Na2CO3, sodium hypochlorite, idophores and alcohols etc.

Host Range:

PPR is a disease of sheep and goats particularly. Goats of the age 2 months to 2 years are more susceptible. Cattle and pigs are seroconverters. Wild ungulates can be affected.

Transmission of Pesti des Pestis:

Transmission of PPR mainly occurs during close contact. Inhalation is thought to be an important route of spread. PPRV is shed in nasal and ocular secretions, saliva, urine, and feces. It probably occurs in milk. Although animals are not expected to become long-term carriers, one recent study reported that viral antigens were shed in the feces of clinically recovered goats for at least 11-12 weeks. Animals may also be contagious during the incubation stage. Fomites such as water, feed troughs, and bedding can probably transmit PPRV for a short time, but do not remain infectious for long periods. How the virus is maintained between outbreaks is not well understood.

Clinical Sign and Symptoms of PPR:

The clinical signs of PPR in sheep and goats are:

• Cough
• serous discharge from eyes and nose then become mucopurulent
• Dyspnea
• Diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Tanysmus
• Increase capillary refill time
• Fever
• Blisters in oral cavity
• Hypersalivation due to ulcers in the mouth

Post-mortem main diagnostic Feature:

The most severe lesions are seen in the large intestine, with congestion and “zebra stripes” of congestion on the mucosal folds of the posterior colon.

Diagnosis of Pesti des Pestis:

It is a well-renowned saying that ” forget the treatment, diagnosis is everything. ” Diagnosis of every disease revolves around 3 things

1- History

2- Clinical signs

3- Lab test

So take some history from the owner of the animal and then look at the obvious clinical signs. It must be mentioned here that clinical signs are somewhat similar in different diseases so the best way of diagnosis is the confirmation by a lab test. But there are some signs that are specific in some diseases and those signs can help the veterinarian in the proper diagnosis of a suspected disease.

Differential Diagnosis:

PPR in small ruminants must be differentiated from other diseases. Like FMD, Vesicular stomatitis, contagious ecthyma, and other diseases that have some respiratory, enteritis signs. In PPR vesicles are present in the mouth but in FMD blisters or vesicles are also on teats and interdigital space. Unlike FMD, the goat plague contains some respiratory signs like cough, etc. Whereas in vesicular stomatitis the sheep and goats are resistant.

Treatment of PPR in Small Ruminants:

There is no specific treatment of PPR in small ruminants but by controlling the other bacterial infections and other symptoms, there are greater chances of recovery. Some of the supportive treatment protocols for PPR are ( treatment may vary depending upon the choice of drugs by a veterinarian).

• To control the body temperature (fever), we give antipyretics like NSAIDs. The most common NSAIDs are flunixin, Meloxicam, ketoprofen etc. These are all the generic names of drugs so you can choose any on the above. Brand names also vary in different countries.
• For lesions, use some antiseptic solution and wash the lesions.
• To remove cough there is need to dilate the bronchi so you can use aminophyline as it is a bronchodilator.
• For diarrhea you can use Scour X syrup
• In case of severe dehydration we can give the IV solution of normal saline or ringers solution. Suggest the ORS salt to balance the salts in the body of animal.
• To prevent the secondary bacterial infections use broad spectrum antibiotics. Now you can choose any broad spectrum antibiotic the most use one are tylosin and gentamicin.

Prevention and Control:

An attenuated PPR vaccine prepared in Vero cell culture is available and affords protection from natural disease for >1 yr. Other than that disinfection of farms, isolation of infected animals with others are also good managemental protocols.

Conclusion:

PPR in small ruminants is also known by many other names like goat plague, pneumoenteritis, KATA (by local) is a viral disease of goats and sheep. Goats are more susceptible than sheep. Goat plague is caused by an RNA virus PPRV. Transmission is mainly through aerosol but both direct and indirect transmission is possible. Major Clinical signs are cough, nasal/ocular discharge along with blisters in the oral cavity. There is no specific treatment just supportive therapy is available. Vaccines are available for its prevention.