Re-emergence of Rinderpest as a Threat in East Africa since 1979

Abstract

The evidence for the recent re-emergence of rinderpest as a threat in East Africa is reviewed. East Africa was free from rinderpest in domestic and wild animals from 1966 to 1979 apart from isolated outbreaks of the disease in unvaccinated nomadic cattle and wildlife. However, in July 1979, rinderpest was diagnosed in East African zebu cattle in northeastern Uganda and the disease spread rapidly before being brought under control in November 1981. In July 1980 the disease was confirmed by virus isolation and specific antigen detection among unvaccinated grade and Boran cattle in Muguga, and serological surveys reported in 1982 and 1983 indicated that the virus had infected goats, sheep and wild ungulates in Kenya. In Tanzania, in March 1982, the disease affected buffaloes in the Serengeti National Park and later that year many buffaloes and also giraffes, warthogs and eland in the Ngorongoro Crater area were killed by what is thought to have been the same disease. Serum samples subsequently collected from buffaloes in these latter two areas had a high prevalence of neutralizing antibody to rinderpest virus. In September 1982 detection of virus neutralizing antibody in cattle, sheep and goats in northern Tanzania where a disease resembling rinderpest had been active since 1981 indicated that the rinderpest virus was responsible for this outbreak which was spreading slowly in 1983. It is concluded that the worldwide recession and resultant decrease in the level of vaccination cover have facilitated re-entry of rinderpest to East Africa. Immediate provision of resources to prevent the disease regaining endemic status is called for.