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Primary reference(s)

FAO, 2020. . Accessed 4 October 2020.

OIE, 2019. . Accessed 4 October 2020.

Additional scientific description

The world was officially declared free from rinderpest in 2011 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), making it the first animal disease to be eradicated in the history of humankind (Myers et al., 2018).

Rinderpest, once the scourge of societies across Asia, Europe and Africa, is only the second infectious disease, after smallpox for humans, to have been eradicated globally thanks to decades of internationally concerted effort (OIE, no date a).

Rinderpest was caused by paramyxovirus in the genus Morbillivirus. The disease was most commonly observed in domestic cattle and buffalos. Many species of wild and domestic cloven-hoofed animals (including sheep and goats) showed only mild symptoms of the disease when infected, but for cattle and buffalo, mortality rates can reach 100% in highly susceptible herds. In cattle, the most susceptible species, classical signs of the disease included fever, erosive lesions in the mouth, discharge from the nose and eyes, profuse diarrhoea and dehydration, often leading to death within 10 to 15 days. In other species rinderpest may show milder clinical signs (FAO, no date).

Rinderpest is spread by effective contact between animals carrying the virus and susceptible animals. The virus was found in nasal secretions a few days before any clinical signs appear. As the disease progressed, the virus was found in most body fluids and either death ensued, or the animal recovered, developed immunity and cleared the virus from the body (FAO, no date).

Asian domestic sway-backed pigs also suffer from and succumb to rinderpest. Infection is also confirmed in many wild even-toed ungulates belonging to the order Artiodactyla: African buffalo, eland, kudu, warthog, bongo, bushbuck, bush pig, chevrotain, dik-dik, duiker, giant forest hog, giraffe, sitatunga, wildebeest in Africa; and banteng, blackbuck, gaur, nilgai and sambar in Asia (FAO, 1996).

Metrics and numeric limits

Not available.

Examples of drivers, outcomes and risk management

Although rinderpest no longer occurs in livestock, the rinderpest virus-containing material is being stored in a few laboratories across the world where it poses a risk through inadvertent or malicious release (Myers et al., 2018).

If a rinderpest-like disease is recognised during a disaster situation, it is immediately necessary to alert the Chief Veterinary Officer of the country, the FAO ([email protected]) and the OIE ([email protected]) simultaneously.

Drivers: virus escapes from laboratory and introduction to susceptible animals.

Outcomes: death of infected animals, spread of infection, production loss, famine, trade ban, loss of global freedom.

Risk management: strict movement control, contact FAO and OIE as international emergency, implementation of the Global Rinderpest Action Plan (GRAP) The GRAP aims to ensure continued global freedom from rinderpest by outlining the actions necessary to prepare for, respond to and recover from a rinderpest outbreak (Myers et al., 2018).

Before its eradication in 2011, rinderpest was the most impactful of all cattle diseases, since it could be 100% fatal in some herds, rapidly transmissible and affected cattle, buffaloes, yaks and many other domesticated and wild even-toed ungulates. It is reported to have originated in Central Eurasia, and later spread to Europe and Asia, according to trade and migration routes. The disease was also reported in the Americas and Australia in a lower prevalence (OIE, no date b).

Rinderpest triggered extensive famines in Africa and hindered agricultural development in Asia (OIE, no date).

Rinderpest remains a notifiable disease and adequate surveillance systems must be maintained for the early detection of clinical cases, should there be any accidental escape of the virus. The FAO and OIE will ensure the permanent availability of material to raise awareness demonstrating the range of signs associated with rinderpest cases in live animals, as well as post-eradication biothreat reduction activities (OIE, no date a).

In the scope of maintaining global freedom and retaining the memory of Rinderpest, the OIE has launched an exhaustive campaign to be implemented in its 182 Member Countries, to ensure all actors are fully aware of rinderpest challenges. A range of tools will ensure that they know the role they still have to play in the post-eradication era: the keyword for this campaign is Vigilance. Because, only with the continuous vigilance of the key players, at local and national level, will the world stay free of rinderpest (OIE, no date a).