Rinderpest epidemic in wild ruminants in Kenya 1993-97

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.