Morbillivirus caprinae | |
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Virus classification | |
(unranked): | Virus |
Realm: | Riboviria |
Kingdom: | Orthornavirae |
Phylum: | Negarnaviricota |
Class: | Monjiviricetes |
Order: | Mononegavirales |
Family: | Paramyxoviridae |
Genus: | Morbillivirus |
Species: | Morbillivirus caprinae
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Synonyms[1] | |
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Ovine rinderpest, also commonly known as peste des petits ruminants (PPR), is a contagious disease primarily affecting goats and sheep; however, camels and wild small ruminants can also be affected.[2] PPR is currently present in North, Central, West and East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia[3] and Southern Europe.[4] It is caused by Morbillivirus caprinae in the genus Morbillivirus, and is closely related to, among others, Morbillivirus pecoris (rinderpest), Morbillivirus hominis (Measles virus), and Morbillivirus canis (also known as canine distemper virus). The disease is highly contagious, and can have an 80–100% mortality rate in acute cases in an epizootic setting. The virus does not infect humans.
The disease was first described in 1942 in Côte d'Ivoire, and has since been detected in more than 70 countries in the world.[5]
In 2017, the disease was reported to be affecting saiga antelope in Mongolia, causing near-catastrophic herd depletion for the endangered species.[6]
In 2018, it was stated that the disease was reported to be present in Bulgaria close to the border with Turkey.[7] In a flock of 540 sheep and goats, two animals tested positive and one died, with disease confirmed by only one laboratory without any further tests.[8] Nevertheless, over 4000 sheep and goats were killed.[9]