Mild Form of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV) in Pakistan.

An outbreak of Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in suburban area of Rawalpindi District of Punjab province Pakistan has been investigated. A total of 38 clinically affected animals out of 140 goats and sheep 10-18 months old with no history of PPR vaccination. Nasal and ocular swabs were analysed by RT-PCR for the presence of PPRV specific genome and their sera were analysed for PPR antibodies by competitive ELISA. Eight out of 10 swab samples were found positive for PPRV and all sera were positive for PPRV specific antibodies. It is thus speculated that a comparatively mild strain of PPR virus exists in the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]