Peste des petits ruminants disease in Turkana, Kenya

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, highly contagious and often fatal trans-boundary viral disease of economic importance primarily affecting goats, sheep, camels and antelopes; whereas cattle undergo sub-clinical infection. Clinical cases of PPR have been reported in arid and semi arid pastoral areas of northern Kenya since 2006. With the disease being relatively new in the country, this book provides description of PPR disease from the perspective of Turkana community in Turkana County, Kenya, an area where PPR first outbreaks were reported in 2006. Turkana community knowledge on PPR is analyzed and validated with laboratory tests that provide information on pathology, molecular-epidemiology and sero-epidemiology of PPR viral infection in Turkana County. Using participatory epidemiology methods, the book analyses the PPR disease risk factors and social economic impact of the disease on the Turkana pastoral economy. Finally a classical MSEIR disease model for control of PPR is presented. This analysis of PPR in pastoral community is aimed at providing an impetus to developing an effective surveillance and control strategy of PPR disease in Kenya and the region.

Autorentext

Simon Kihu is a veterinarian; a PhD graduate from University of Nairobi and University of London. He has majored in rural development and virology. He works as a senior livestock program manager with Vetworks Eastern Africa pastoral livelihoods & livestock disease programs in marginal and conflict prone areas of East Africa.