Animal Infectious Diseases

Rinderpest was an acute, highly contagious viral disease of wild and domesticated ruminants and pigs, characterized by sudden onset of fever, oculonasal discharges, necrotic stomatitis, gastroenteritis and death. Rinderpest was eradicated in 2011 (FAO & OIE, 2011). 

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an infectious and contagious respiratory disease of cattle and water buffalo caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (Mmm) with a major impact on livestock production and a potential for rapid spread (WOAH, 2024a).

Shrimp acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is caused by virulent strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and related Vibrio species. AHPND-associated mortalities occur early in the production cycle, usually within 30 to 35 days of stocking, and because of this AHPND was initially referred to as early mortality syndrome (WOAH, 2023). 

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is a disease affecting goats and some wild ruminant species, caused by Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae (Mccp). In goats, it is manifested by anorexia, fever and respiratory signs such as dyspnoea, polypnea, cough and nasal discharges. The acute and subacute disease is characterised by unilateral serofibrinous pleuropneumonia with severe pleural effusion. (Adapted from WOAH, 2021).

There are a number of causal agents recognised for oyster diseases. Examples of major oyster diseases and their causal protozoan agents are: bonamiosis (Bonamia exitiosa, B. ostreae); marteiliosis (Marteilia refringens); perkinsosis (Perkinsus marinus, P. olseni). These oyster diseases are notifiable OIE-listed diseases and occur worldwide (WOAH, 2024a). 

Foot-and-mouth disease is caused by a virus of the family Picornaviridae, genus Aphthovirus. It is a highly contagious and economically important disease of cloven-hoofed domestic animals (cattle, buffaloes, pigs, sheep, goats) and wild animals (adapted from FAO no date; WOAH, no date).  

Lumpy skin disease is a vector-borne pox disease of domestic cattle and Asian water buffalo and is characterised by the appearance of skin nodules on all body surfaces including the udder (FAO, 2017). 

The New World screwworm (NWS), Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is an obligate parasite of mammals, including humans, during their larval stages. Larvae feeding on the skin and underlying tissues of the host cause a condition known as wound or traumatic myiasis, which can be fatal (adapted from PAHO, no date and WOAH, no date). 

Newcastle Disease (ND) is a highly contagious and often severe disease found worldwide that affects birds caused by virulent strains of avian paramyxovirus type 1 (WOAH, no date).

Peste des petits ruminants is a highly contagious and devastating disease of goats and sheep. The causative agent, Peste des petits ruminants virus, is a member of the genus Morbillivirus, Family Paramyxoviridae and Order Mononegavirales (adapted from FAO, no date and WOAH, 2024a).