ORF, PPR (Paste Dit Petid Ruminantivin), KATA- a serious disease affecting livestock and man

scabby lesions on the lips and nostrils of affected goat

ORF, PPR ( Paste Dit Petid Ruminantivin), KATA are all names to identify this highly contagious viral disease that causes painful scabby lesions on the lips and nostrils of affected sheep’s and goats during  9days  incubation period. It is a significant welfare problem for both sheep and goats not just in Nigeria but worldwide and is regarded as being in the top 20 most important viral diseases affecting the rural poor in developing countries.ORF is a zoonotic infection (which can spread from animals to humans) so it also poses a significant health risk to humans who come in contact with infected animals.

PPR ( Paste Dit Petid Ruminantivin) as its popularly known for mainly affecting younger animals in their first few months of life and can retard their growth as severely affected lambs and kids may not be able to feed for several days, becoming weakened and prone to other diseases. Orf is therefore not only a welfare problem for the animals, but also has severe economic effects that delays production and finishing for market.

An additional hazard is that the disease is zoonotic (i.e. can be transmitted to humans) posing a substantial occupational risk to farmers, shepherds, and vets.The scabs caused by the orf virus in and around the mouth and lips of infected animals normally heal without treatment in 4-6 weeks however the lesions can become extensive and spread to other parts of the body and secondary bacterial infections are not uncommon. If the affected animal is still suckling, there is also the danger of transmission to the ewe’s udder, which in turn can lead to acute mastitis.

 Food Farm News spoke with Prof. Lawal Saidu, the director Vet Teaching Hospital Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, who explained that the viral disease ORF – PPR ( PasteDitPetidRuminantivin)  is not a big problem to human as it has been in existence since the 70s during the operation feed the nation, mainly found in the rural economy, although several governments have realized the effect of this disease and has taken several actions in making the vaccine against ORF available.

Although the vaccine against ORF is useful in reducing the effects of the disease on farms which have a history of ORF, they do not provide long lasting solid immunity to ORF and may contribute to the environmental pool of infection. Thorough disinfection of farm buildings is very important in the control of this disease as it is generally considered that the year to year spread and persistence of ORF in sheep is based on animals becoming infected with virus shed into the environment from previously infected animals.

Prof. Lawal added that the constrain is that the treatment cannot be done in isolation, but can only be done regionally or nationally, otherwise no work done in term of vaccination can be effective without giving consideration to its spread to other  areas. The symptoms of ORF are very similar to those of foot and mouth disease virus and blue tongue virus.

Mr. Bolaji Ibelade the Desk officer Sheep and Goat Value Chain, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development added that the virus is devastating on goats, 9 days incubation period, with symptom’s like acute neumonia, discharge from nose and mouth and daharia. Its mortality rate is 100% in a farm depending on its location. Sheep and Goats experience this during raining season or harmatan.

The Desk officer also noted that to prevent (ORF,PPR & KATA) we have to start practicing bio-security, an off scale method of disease prevention, a clean environment, animals should not be exposed to stress, good housing, feeding and water should be made available to animals. Livestock breeders should learn not to mix new animals with those already on the farm, because most of the animals are trans-border, so they have to be separated for 28days. He stressed that the new ones should be quarantined, with PPR Vaccine yearly for animals, although the vaccine are not for PPR, ORF,KATA cure, but a means of prevention for the animals.