An outbreak of Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia in the western region in the Central African Republic. Eradication of the disease by association of therapeutic and sanitary prophylaxis

Abstract

An outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia occurred suddenly at the beginning of 1958 amongst zebu cattle of the M’Borroro-Foulbe group. On account of their particular geographical and climatic factors, this group of animals had been protected from infection for more than 10 years. An epizootic in such a particularly susceptible group of animals is capable of creating a severe mortality and decimating for several years the large ruminant population of a territory which is already poor in animal protein.

As a result of very severe control measures taken with the co-operation of the owners, and the remarkable efficacy of the avianised pleuropneumonia vaccine used, the focus was completely contained to the original outbreak and within two years of the appearance of the first case was entirely extinguished. The vaccine used was Strain T₃ of Piercy and Knight and prepared by the laboratory at Fort-Lamy and was administered by the new method evolved by that laboratory (“muzzle inoculation”).