SERO-PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF PESTE DES PETITS RUMINANT (PPR) IN SHEEP IN RIVER NILE AND WHITE NILE STATES, SUDAN

Abstract

“Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR is a contagious viral disease of small
ruminants in Africa and Asia). In this study, the epidemiology of PPR in
sheep in River Nile and White Nile States was investigated. For this purpose,
the sero-prevalence of PPR in these two states was determined by using
cELISA and the risk factors associated with the sero-prevalence were
investigated. In a total of 519 serum samples that fall within the
recommended 95% level of confidence (Thrusfield, 2007), a 53% prevalence
(275/519) was found; 56.5% (147/260) in River Nile state and 49.4%
(128/259) in White Nile state. This statistically insignificant difference
(P=0.104) in PPR prevalence in the two states could be attributed to similar
animal movements and communal grazing and watering among animals of
the two states. In the unvariate analysis, 15 statistically significant factors that
had an impact on PPR spread were determined. These were: Locality (pvalue=0.000), sex (p- value=0.000), age (p- value=0.000), herd composition
(p- value=0.002), migratory routes (p- value=0.000), cleaning (pvalue=0.000), known signs of PPR (p- value=0.011), season (pvalue=0.000), morbidity rate (p- value=0.001), mortality rates (pvalue=0.000), abortion (p- value=0.000), affecting production (pvalue=0.002), loss during year (p- value=0.000), using outside rams (pvalue=0.011) and vaccination of PPR (p- value=0.000) while in multivariate
analysis only one risk factor was found statistically significant which is sex
(p- value=0.000). Risk factors significantly associated with a cELISA
positive status for PPR in this study could be considered as important
predictors for the occurrence of PPR outbreaks in these states