[BUKAVU] Several localities in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are in the grip of an epidemic of peste des petits ruminants. Since the appearance of the disease in September 2022, hundreds of small ruminants (goats, sheep, etc.) have been killed, according to estimates from the South Kivu Provincial Division of Fisheries and Livestock .
In the affected villages, the situation worries breeders. “I noticed that two of my goats had diarrhea. I didn’t know what it was,” says Justin Aganze, a breeder in the locality of Kalehe which is the most affected.
“After a few days, both died. Eight others began showing similar symptoms and also died. Currently, I fear for others who are not yet sick. Breeding is my main activity to provide for the needs of my family,” laments the breeder.
“We need laws that control the movement of animals within the country but also between countries. But in areas where the disease is declared, methods are needed which consist of slaughtering all sick animals”
Rodrigue Ayagirwe, Evangelical University in Africa (UEA), Bukavu
For Léonard, his neighbor and breeder for several years, this is the first time that his goats have been affected by this disease. “I had 30 goats. Today there are only 12 left because of this disease. The goat shows signs of tremors and then it dies,” he says.
“The goat is considered the cow of the poor. And when a farmer who had so many goats sees how he is losing them, it really has a negative impact on the economy of this household and on its food security ,” says Rodrigue Ayagirwe, teacher in animal production and dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Evangelical University of Africa (UEA) of Bukavu.
To limit the spread of the disease, a first phase of vaccination of still uninfected small livestock was held last January. Over ten days, nearly 15,000 animals were vaccinated.
A second phase of vaccination began on February 13. It concerns the locality of Mwenga which has so far been spared by the disease.
This is the second time that peste des petits ruminants has broken out in South Kivu. In 2017, it had decimated nearly 80% of the livestock, according to the Provincial Division of Fisheries and Livestock.
Indeed, peste des petits ruminants is a disease characterized by high mortality, explains Edouard Ndiyo Bahogwerhe, veterinarian on duty at the Provincial Division of Fisheries and Livestock of South Kivu.
“For animals affected by it, we can achieve more than 50% mortality. For breeders, it is a disease to be feared because when you lose more than 50% of your herd, it is really worrying,” he maintains.
For Rodrigue Ayagirwe, this resurgence can be explained, among other things, by the importation of animals from other provinces and neighboring countries.
The academic also believes that “extensive” research must be undertaken, because “there are animals that become sick, there are some that will die, others will survive if we do symptomatic treatment,” declares -he.
“The epidemic may pass, but by the way, there are always what we call virus reservoirs. Virus reservoirs are either wild animals or other animals which are tolerant, that is to say they do not develop the disease but they retain the virus and once in contact with a fragile animal, the illness can still arise,” he explains.
Animal movements
Peste des petits ruminants is a disease caused by a virus similar to measles in humans and rinderpest. It is characterized in particular by fever, breathing difficulties, runny nose, diarrhea, cough, lesions in the mouth.
It is usually spread from animal to animal through droplets spread in the air when infected animals cough or sneeze.
According to academic Rodrigue Ayagirwe, its incubation period is 3 to 6 days and after a week, the signs are visible in the animal. However, he emphasizes that confirmation from a laboratory is necessary “because there are other viral diseases which are characterized by similar symptoms”.
He also recalls that the treatment of this pathology is more preventive than curative, as with most viral diseases.
For the latter, “we need laws that control the movement of animals within the country but also between countries. But in areas where the disease is declared, methods are needed which consist of slaughtering all sick animals.”
“The other method is quarantine to reduce the progression of contamination. But the most common method currently is the vaccination of animals,” he concludes.
Pascal Isango, head of office in charge of livestock at the Fisheries and Livestock Division, explains that the spread of the disease is due to “the absence of systematic vaccination covering all the provinces of the country”.
For the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO), vaccination is a key tool to control and eradicate PPR in countries where it is endemic.
In addition to vaccination, the Organization’s Global Strategy, which aims to eradicate PPR by 2030, proposes starting by controlling the disease in very endemic areas, then consolidating these control efforts where a low endemic level has been reached and eradication is feasible or already effective.