The prevalence of antibodies to <i>Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus</i> (PPRV) in goats from rural and urban communities in Ibadan,Nigeria

Abstract

Serological surveys studies on Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) infection had been on village goats with less emphasis on urban goats which are faced with high risk of the spread of the disease. With the dynamic changes associated with a disease process and the myriad of factors that enhances the spread of the disease, the need to know the present status of the disease in village and urban goats in the southwestern Nigeria where the West African dwarf (WAD) goat are located is expedient. 340 goats of different ages from selected urban and rural communities in Oyo state were screened using an indirect ELISA technique. The overall prevalence of PPRV antibodies was 63.5% with a higher rate (69.0%) in the rural goats (p<0.05). The urban centers recorded a lower prevalence of 49%. The prevalence was lower in goats from fenced expanse of land with semi intensive system when compared to that of an area not fenced with extensive managemental system. The prevalence decreases with increasing age. The Sample positive ratio (SPR) also revealed a higher titer in goat less than 1 year and the males had a significant higher SPR than the females. This study showed that PPR is still endemic in WAD goats in South western, Nigeria and that the prevalence was affected by the location and type of management adopted. It then showed that better coverage could be enhanced by mass campaign and routine yearly PPR vaccination in both urban and rural settings in order to prevent future outbreaks of the disease in small ruminants.

Key words: Prevalence, Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus, antibodies, goats, Nigeria