Outbreak of Peste Des Petits Ruminant in an Unvaccinated Sahel Goat Farm in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Abstract

An outbreak of peste des petits ruminant (PPR) among unvaccinated Sahel goats was investigated in a farm in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The morbidity rate of 63% and mortality rate of 17% was recorded on the farm, giving a case fatality rate of 27%. The infected animals manifested serous to mucopurulent oculonasal discharges, coughing, crust on the lips, erosive and necrotic lesions on the gums, dyspnoea, diarrhea, congestion and hepatization of the lungs, congestion in the large intestine and death. PPR virus antigen was detected in swabs and tissues of infected animals using agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) and virus was isolated from same samples. PPR virus neutralizing antibodies was also detected in 75% of goats and 60% of incontact sheep. This report represents the first confirmed PPR outbreak among Sahel goats in the North-Eastern region of Nigeria.

Keywords: PPR outbreak, Sahel goat, Virus Neutralization test, agar gel immunodiffusion test, Nigeria