A review of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in Tanzania and the potential for spread to Southern Africa

Abstract

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia is (CCPP) a serious epizootic disease of goats that causes significant socio-economic losses in East Africa. The disease was officially confirmed in Tanzania in 1998 and since then it has spread widely throughout the country causing tremendous losses in the goat industry. So far, there is no clearly defined policy for the control and eradication of the disease in the country, a fact that favours its vast spread. The occurrence of the disease in the southern regions of Tanzania poses a serious risk to the goat industry of Tanzania and the neighbouring countries of southern Africa. Unless concerted efforts are made to eradicate it, the disease will remain a threat to the goat industry in the region. In this paper, the history, epidemiological features and control strategies for CCPP in Tanzania are reviewed. The potential for the spread of the disease to southern Africa is discussed and strategies to combat the situation are suggested. Zimbabwe Vet. J. Vol.33(2) 2002: 101-107