CBPP

CBPP
Name	Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
Field	Veterinary medicine, Infectious disease
Synonyms	CBPP
Symptoms	Pyrexia, dyspnea, cough, nasal discharge, pleural effusion
Complications	Respiratory failure, chronic carrier state, reduced milk yield
Onset	Acute to chronic
Duration	Days to months
Causes	Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides
Risks	Movement of cattle, transhumance, low vaccination coverage
Diagnosis	Clinical exam, culture, serology, PCR, postmortem lesion
Prevention	Vaccination, movement control, stamping out, biosecurity
Frequency	Endemic in parts of Africa, sporadic elsewhere

CBPP

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is a transboundary infectious disease of cattle characterized by severe fibrinous pleuropneumonia. It is caused by a mycoplasma pathogen and has major implications for livestock health in regions affected by trade routes, pastoralist movements, and veterinary infrastructure. Control measures historically involve diagnostics, vaccination campaigns, and regulatory actions by national ministries and international bodies.

Overview

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides and affects domestic cattle and some wild bovids. Historically, outbreaks prompted responses from institutions such as the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization, and influenced policies by ministries like the Ministry of Agriculture (United Kingdom) and national veterinary services in South Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Research into the pathogen has involved laboratories at the Institut Pasteur, the Pirbright Institute, and university centers including University of Pretoria and University of Bologna.

Etiology and Pathogenesis

The etiologic agent, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, is a wall‑less bacterium first characterized in classical microbiology studies by groups at institutions such as the Rockefeller Institute and later by modern molecular teams at National Institute for Agricultural Research (France). Pathogenesis involves colonization of the lower respiratory tract, induction of inflammatory cascades, and pleural adhesion formation noted in comparative pathology texts from the Royal Veterinary College and experimental infections described by researchers affiliated with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Host responses implicate neutrophilic infiltration and fibrin deposition similar to lesions reported in case series from Zimbabwe and outbreak investigations coordinated with the African Union.

Epidemiology and Distribution

CBPP distribution has been shaped by livestock movements along routes like the Nile River corridors, transhumance between the Sahel and savanna zones, and continental trade linking markets in Nairobi, Khartoum, and Lusaka. Historically eliminated from parts of Europe and the Americas through stamping‑out and vaccination programs executed by agencies such as the European Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture, it remains endemic in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa with sporadic incursions reported in China and the Russian Federation. Surveillance data compiled by the World Organisation for Animal Health and field studies by international non-governmental organizations highlight hotspots in pastoralist regions and peri‑urban production systems.

Clinical Signs and Diagnosis

Affected cattle present with fever, rapid respiratory rate, open‑mouth breathing, and a dry painful cough as documented in clinical manuals from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and case reports from the Kenya Veterinary Board. Auscultation and thoracic percussion reveal diminished sounds and pleural friction rubs; postmortem findings include lung consolidation and pleural adhesions described in atlases from the University of Sydney veterinary faculty. Laboratory diagnosis employs culture techniques refined at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (UK), serological assays developed at the Institute for Animal Health, and nucleic acid amplification tests adapted in reference labs like the OIE Reference Laboratory for Mycoplasmas.

Treatment, Control, and Prevention

Therapeutic use of antimicrobials such as long‑acting tetracyclines has been reported in field protocols endorsed by veterinary departments in Uganda and Tanzania, though treatment can prolong carrier states noted in studies from the International Livestock Research Institute. Control strategies include quarantine, movement restrictions, test‑and‑slaughter or stamping‑out policies implemented in coordination with ministries of agriculture and international partners like the World Bank for compensation schemes. Vaccination with attenuated strains has been employed in campaigns coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization and national vaccine producers, with research into improved vaccines ongoing at universities including TU Dresden and institutes such as the Institut Pasteur de Tunis.

Socioeconomic Impact and Management

Outbreaks of CBPP cause substantial production losses—reduced milk yield, mortality, and trade bans—impacting pastoralist livelihoods documented in socioeconomic assessments by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Bank. Management requires engagement with stakeholders such as livestock extension services, cooperative associations in regions like the Horn of Africa, and market regulators in urban centers including Addis Ababa and Dar es Salaam. Economic modeling by research groups at CIRAD and the International Food Policy Research Institute has informed policy on compensation, vaccination investment, and cross‑border coordination facilitated by regional bodies like the East African Community.

Category:Veterinary infectious diseases Category:Bovine diseases