Sero-Prevalence of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Among Goats of Different Zones of District Thatta, Sindh.

Introduction: Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and viral disease primarily affecting goats and sheep, caused by the PPR virus (PPRV), which belongs to the family paramyxoviridae, and genus morbillivirus. Methodology: A total of 100 blood samples (female n=67 and male n=33) of goats from different areas of Thatta district were collected. Risk factors like area, age, sex and season were analyzed. Clinically affected animals exhibited high temperature (41oC), anorexia, dullness, lacrimal secretions, and nasal discharge diahhrea starting from 2 to 6 days post infection, hair blow the eyes becomes wet and there is matting together of the eyelids as well as partial blockage of the nostrils by dried up purulent discharges. Samples were transported to Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CVDL) Tandojam, Sindh for laboratory confirmation. The competitive ELISA was performed to measure antibodies to the PPR virus. Results: The sero-positivity of PPR cases in female were 76.12% (51/67) and male 51.52% (17/33). The highest sero-prevalence was observed in age group of 4-12 month 75.56% (34/45). Lowest sero-prevalence was detected in age group of 0-4 month 47.83% (11/23). Highest prevalence of PPR infections were observed in the month of August 70% (21/30), followed by 69.04% (29/42) in the September, the lowest prevalence was 64.28% (18/28) in the July. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present study that female animals were more affected than males. The higher infection was recorded during the August. Comparatively, young animals were more affected than the suckler and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]