Diagnosis and Control Strategies for Peste Des Petits Ruminants
Virus: Global and
Pakistan
Perspectives
Muhammad Abubakar*, Samina Ashiq2, Aamir Bin Zahoor1,
Muhammad Javed Arshedand
Ashley C. Banyard3
National Veterinary Laboratory, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan;
2Centre of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of
Peshawar, Pakistan; 1PARC Institute of Advance Studies in
Agriculture (PIASA), NARC, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan; 3Wildlife
Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal Health and
Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw Surrey, KT15 3NB,
UK
*Corresponding author: mabnvl@gmail.com (Also
affiliated with PARC)
Abstract
Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) causes an acute and highly contagious
disease and belongs to the family
Paramyxoviridae and genus
Morbillivirus. The control of animal diseases is one of the primary
objectives of government livestock departments in
Pakistan. Control of any viral disease requires
rapid, specific and sensitive diagnostic tests and efficacious vaccines. Small
ruminants infected with PPRV are routinely diagnosed on the basis of clinical
examination, gross pathology, histological findings and laboratory confirmation.
A number of serological and molecular diagnostic tests are used for the
detection of PPRV. Control of PPRV may be attained using measures including
movement control of sheep and goats from affected areas, quarantine of infected
animals, removal of potentially infected fomites and a restriction on the
importation of sheep and goats from infected areas. The effective way to control
PPR in Pakistan
is by mass immunization of small ruminants as strict sanitary control measures,
including the stamping out policy are not economically viable. Therefore, the
control of PPR requires an effective vaccine and for this purpose several
vaccines such as homologous and recombinant vaccines have been developed.
Key words: Control Strategies;
Diagnosis;Pakistan
Perspectives;
Peste des petits ruminants; virus