DIAGNOSIS AND CONTROL OF CONTAGIOUS CAPRINE PLEUROPNEUMONIA

The diagnosis of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) has often b een considered difficult. This is because of the confusion that can ar ise with other mycoplasmoses of small ruminants. Symptoms and lesions can be similar and the isolation of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoni ae (MccF38) requires skilled technicians. Once MccF38 strains are isol ated, their identification should not be difficult. New techniques, su ch as polymerase chain reaction, now offer the possibility of identify ing MccF38 directly from dried samples. However the isolation of MccF3 8 strains is always required for an official declaration of infection. Until now, the official serological rest has been the complement fixa tion test; the main drawbacks being lack of sensitivity and specificit y and also the short persistence of antibodies detected by this techni que. The specific competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has no w been developed and should enable wide serological enquiries to deter mine the real prevalence of the disease. Antibiotic treatments are eff ective bur may not prevent persistence in latent carriers. An inactiva ted vaccine with saponin as an adjuvant has been produced in Kenya, wh ich protects goats for approximately one year.