A severe epidemic of rinderpest, affecting mainly wild ruminants, occurred
between 1993 and 1997 in East Africa. Buffalo (Syncerus coffer), eland (Tau
rofragus oryx) and lesser kudu (Trogelaphus imberbis) were highly susceptib
le. The histopathological changes, notably individual epithelial cell necro
sis with syncytia formation, were consistent with an infection with an epit
heliotrophic virus. Serology, the polymerase chain reaction, and virus isol
ation confirmed the diagnosis and provided epidemiological information. The
virus was related to a strain which was prevalent in Kenya in the 1960s, o
f a second lineage (II), and distinct from isolations of rinderpest virus i
n the region since 1986. The source of the virus was presumed to be infecte
d cattle from the Eastern region of Kenya and Somalia. The pathogenicity of
the virus varied during the epidemic. The mortality in buffalo populations
was estimated to be up to 80 per cent, and population data suggested that
the virus had an adverse effect on a wide range of species. The virus cause
d only a mild disease in cattle, with minimal mortality. The results confir
med the importance of wildlife as sentinels of the disease, but although wi
ldlife were important in the spread of the virus, they did not appear to ac
t as reservoirs of infection.