Rinderpest

Cattle Plague
 Rinderpest
Rinderpest (RP) is an acute or sub acute,
contagious viral disease of ruminants and swine,
and of major importance to the cattle industry
 Overview
• Organism
• Epidemiology
• Transmission
• Pathogenesis
• Clinical Signs
• Diagnosis and Treatment
• Prevention and Control
 The Organism
• Family Paramyxoviridae

• Genus Morbillivirus

• Other members of the family include

– Peste des Petits Ruminants virus
– Measles virus
– Canine distemper virus

• Relatively fragile virus

Center for Food Security and Public Health
 Economic Impact
• Destroys entire populations of cattle
• Leads to famine in cattle-dependent areas
• 1982-1984 outbreak: $500 million
• $100 million spent annually on vaccination

Fao.Org
Epidemiology
 Rinderpest
Rinderpest is characterized by high fever, lachrymal
discharge, inflammation, hemorrhage, necrosis,
erosions of the epithelium of the mouth and of the
digestive tract, profuse diarrhea, and death.

The four D’s of Rinderpest:

Depression
Diarrhea
Dehydration
Death
The virus was widely distributed throughout Europe,
Africa, Asia and West Asia, but never became established
in either the Americas or Australia/New Zealand

Rinderpest
 Species Affected

• Mainly a disease of cattle and domestic

buffalo, including water buffalo
• Most wild and domestic cloven-footed
animals can become infected
– Zebu, sheep and goats, pigs, and wild ungulates in
contact with cattle FAO.ORG
Geographic Distribution
 Morbidity/ Mortality
• Naive populations mortality may reach 100%
• Endemic areas
– Susceptible stock are immature or
young adults

FAO.ORG
 Animal Transmission
• Direct contact
– Nasal/ocular secretions
– Feces, urine, saliva, and blood

• Contaminated food or water

• Indirect contact
– Fomites

FAO.ORG
 Animal Transmission
• Aerosol transmission only very short distances

• Most infectious period: 1-2 days before clinical

signs and 8-9 days after onset of clinical signs

• Vector transmission unknown

• No chronic carrier state

• Wildlife not a reservoir

 Host Range
All cloven-hoofed animals
are susceptible (not all are
clinical)

Most clinical cases occur in

cattle and water buffalo

Rinderpest
 Pathogenesis
Inhaled through droplets

Penetrates epithelium and multiplies in tonsil and lymph node

Enters blood and mononuclear cells and disseminates through out the body

High degree of affinity for lymphoid tissue and replicates in lymphocytes, monocytes and
epithelial cells

Destruction of lymphocytes, focal necrotic stomatitis and enteritis

 Clinical Signs
• Incubation period
– 3-15 days, usually 4-5 days
• Four forms of disease
– Peracute, Acute, Sub acute (&skin), Atypical (in
apparent)
 Clinical Signs in cattle
The case definition of rinderpest is ocular and
nasal discharges with any two of the
additional signs:
+ fever
+ erosions in the mouth
+ diarrhea
+ dehydration
+ death
 Clinical Signs in cattle
(Peracute Form)

• Most often found in highly susceptible young

and newborn animals

• High fever (104-107 °F)

• Congested mucous membranes

 Clinical Signs in cattle
(Acute Form)
• Fever - 104 to 107°F (40-42°C)
• Serous occulo-nasal discharge
• Leukopenia
• Depression
• Anorexia
• Constipation followed by diarrhea
• Oral erosions
Clinical Signs (Sub acute and Skin form)
– Temperature is mild

– No dysentery

– No systemic reaction but have pustules on the

neck (withers, inside of thighs)

– Most animals recovers

– Secondary bacterial infections

 Differential Diagnosis
• Foot and Mouth Disease
• Peste des petits ruminants
• Bovine Viral diarrhea

FAO.ORG
 Diagnosis
• Clinical
– Rapidly spreading acute febrile illness in all ages of
animals

• Laboratory Tests
– Isolation and confirmation of virus
 Diagnosis
• Samples to Collect
– Live animals
• Viremia drops when fever falls and diarrhea begins
• Blood sample
• Swabs of lacrimal fluid
• Necrotic tissue of oral cavity
• Aspirations of superficial lymph nodes
– Dead animals
• Spleen, lymph node, tonsil
 Treatment
• No known treatment
• Diagnosis usually means slaughter of effected
animals
• Supportive care with antibiotics in rare cases
of valuable animals
• Preventative measures are key
Prevention and Control
 Recommended Actions
• Notification of Authorities

– Federal:
Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC)
www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/area_offices.htm

– State veterinarian
www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/sregs/official.htm

• Quarantine
 Disinfection
• Chemical
– Glycerol and lipid solvents

• Natural
– pH 2 and 12
• For at least 10 minutes
• Optimal survival for the virus is at pH 6.5-7
 Vaccination
• Most commonly used vaccines
– Cell-culture-adapted

– Vaccinate calves annually for 3 years

 Prevention
• Endemic areas
– Vaccinate national herd according to
recommendations

• High-risk countries
– Vaccination of susceptible animals

• Rinderpest free countries

– Import restrictions on susceptible animals and uncook
meat products from infected countries