Rinderpest Cattle Plague What is rinderpest and what How does rinderpest affect How can I protect my causes it? my animal? animal from rinderpest? Rinderpest is a highly contagious Rinderpest infections can vary. Be aware of the clinical signs of viral disease of livestock. It can cause Sick animals have a sudden onset of the disease (sores in the mouth, illness in cloven-hooved (two-toed) fever. Sores develop in the mouth, sudden fever, drooling, high death animals, particularly cattle and buffalo. which will cause the animal to drool. rate) and the conditions resulting in It is spread by direct contact and Discharges from the nose and eyes the transmission of the disease (the commonly causes death in infected will also be seen. Profuse, watery introduction of infected animals into animals. Due to efforts of the Global diarrhea, which may be bloody, the herd). Any new animals entering Rinderpest Eradication Program, occurs a few days after oral lesions the farm should be quarantined away the disease is believed to be nearly develop. Animals may have severe from the rest of the herd until it is eradicated. It is liited to a few areas in abdominal pain, thirst and strain to determined that they are healthy and Africa and central Asia. The virus has defecate, have difficulty breathing, there is no risk to the other animals on not been found in North America. and progressive weakness until they the farm. can no longer stand. Death may What animals get The virus can be destroyed occur suddenly or within 8-12 days; by sunlight, drying, and most rinderpest? some animals may recover. disinfectants. A vaccine is available for Cattle and buffalo are most Can I get rinderpest? animals in regions where the disease commonly affected. Outbreaks in is present. these animals can approach death No. Rinderpest does not infect rates of 100%. Sheep and goats can people. For More Information develop disease but usually with CFSPH Technical Fact Sheets. Rinderpest less serious consequences. Pigs and Who should I contact, if I suspect rinderpest? at http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/ deer can be infected, but many times DiseaseInfo/ signs of disease are minimal and can Contact your veterinarian Food and Agriculture Organization of go unnoticed in these species. Wild immediately. Suspicion of disease requires immediate attention. the United Nations (FAO). Global animals, such as water buffalo, yaks, Rinderpest Eradication Programmme giraffes, warthogs and other wild (GREP) at http://www.fao.org/ag/ herbivores have also be affected. againfo/programmes/en/grep/home. html. How can my animal get United States Animal Health Association rinderpest? (USAHA). Foreign Animal Diseases Rinderpest is spread between (The Gray Book) at http://www.usaha. animals by direct contact. The org/pubs/fad.pdf virus can be in secretions from the eyes, nose, or mouth, and the feces, urine, blood, milk, or reproductive fluids of infected animals. The virus may also be spread by fomites such as contaminated equipment, feed Rinderpest troughs and watering tanks. Aerosol is a highly contagious, transmission may occur, but usually deadly viral disease only over very short distances. of livestock. Calf head photo courtesy of R. Roeder at www. fao.org; Oral sores photo courtesy of Plum Island Animal Disease Center Last Updated: November 2009 © 2009 RIND_F2009.