HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF A NATURAL OUTBREAK OF PESTE DES PETITS RUMINANTS IN GOATS OF TAMIL-NADU

The Morbilli viruses responsible for Rinderpest in cattle and Peste de s petits ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats, are important pathogens o f domestic ruminants. PPR infection is most commonly recorded among th e sheep population in India. This article deals with the first exclusi ve outbreak of PPR in goats in a mixed population that occurred in the southern districts of Tamilnadu, India. The histopathological aspect of the infection in various organs has been studied in correlation wit h the clinical signs and symptoms from materials collected in 10 diffe rent outbreaks of PPR in goats. This study revealed peculiar findings such as severe affection of respiratory system with mild involvement o f alimentary system that was seen to be rare and exclusively to Indian outbreaks of PPR. The histopathological study revealed extensive invo lvement of lungs, lymph nodes, spleen, intestine, liver, in descending order of severity. All the outbreaks recorded revealed no sex differe nces but the age of susceptibility was seen much in young ones and dea th aias more noted in them. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.