Regional epidemiology and associated risk factors of PPR in Asia-A Review

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a world organization for animal health (OIE) notifiable and economically important transboundary, highly contagious and acute viral disease of small ruminants. The disease is caused by the PPR Virus (PPRV). PPRV belongs to the genus Morbillivirus of the family Paramyxoviridae. The recent epidemiological and molecular characterization of PPR virus isolates subdivides them into four genetically distinct lineages (I, II, III and IV). The disease is endemic across Asia, the Middle East and African regions and is considered to be a major obstacle to the development of sustainable agriculture across the developing world due to a huge burden on the economy and development of the affected countries and has recently been targeted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the OIE for global eradication by 2030. PPR-endemic countries should join the regional force, and implement regional roadmaps for the progressive and successful control and elimination of PPRV. In this review, the regional epidemiology of PPR outbreaks and overall regional associated risk factors including animal factors (age, species, sex), environmental factors (season, spatial distribution of disease in various locations) and trade associated factors with special reference to the PPR-affected countries in South, Central and East Asia is comprehensively discussed.