Seroprevalence of peste des petits ruminants in sheep and goats in Mali

Abstract

This study presents the results of a serological survey to assess the epidemiological status of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats in different regions of Mali. The animals were tested by competitive ELISA (c-ELISA) to assess seroprevalence by region, species, age class and sex. Results showed an individual prevalence of 42.6% [confidence interval at 95% (CI95): 40.9 to 44.3]. Significant variations in seroprevalences were observed between regions and ranged from 5.5% (CI95: 3.3 to 7.7) in Gao (region with the lowest seroprevalence) to 55.6% (CI95: 52.2 to 59.1) in Koulikoro (region with the highest seroprevalence). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the estimated seroprevalences of females and males, and between adult (> 3 years) and younger animals (< 3 years), but not between sheep and goats. These results confirm the presence of the disease across the country with a relatively high prevalence in the central, southern and western regions. They also show the disease probably reached endemic levels, highlighting the low impact of the vaccination program against PPR in Mali. They reveal the urgent need to develop an effective vaccination program to protect livestock against this contagious disease.