Detection and molecular characterization of Peste des Petits Ruminants virus from outbreaks in Burundi, December 2017-January 2018.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease that is considered a major threat to the small livestock industry. Although vaccination via live-attenuated PPR vaccine is a main controlling strategy in the endemic area, during PPR eradication process, the inactivated PPR vaccine (iPPRV) is recommended. This study aimed to compare the inactivation kinetics of the PPR virus via different inactivants and immunogenicity evaluations of the iPPRV formulated vaccine in mice. The vaccinal live PPR virus was inactivated by either H2O2 or binary ethylenimine (BEI (at two concentrations of 1 or 4 mM. Thereafter, the inactivated virus was formulated with different adjuvants, including aluminum hydroxide (AH), aluminum phosphate (AP), and a mixture of AH and AP that were intraperitoneally (IP) administrated (0.1 mL) to 90 BALB/c mice in a completely randomized design and 3×3 factorial arrangement (9 animals per group). The booster vaccination was carried out in all animals 21 days after the primary vaccination. Results showed that the PPR virus was successfully inactivated by all the inactivation agents; however, the time of complete virus inactivation was estimated to be 482, 295, and 495 min post-treatment initiation for 1 mM BEI, 4 mM BEI, and H2O2, respectively. The main effect of inactivant on antibody titers against PPR virus that was measured after 42days post-immunization in mice was significant (P<0.05); however, the adjuvant and interaction effect of inactivator×adjuvant were not effective(P>0.05). Inactivation by 1 mM BEI was associated with a higher antibody titer against PPR virus (P<0.05) in comparison with both 4 mM BEI and H2O2 (2.51 vs. 2.25 and 2.22, respectively). Meanwhile, there were no significant differences among the used adjuvants in terms of eliciting antibody response against PPR virus. In conclusion, the use of 1 mM BEI in combination of AH, AP, or a mixture of AH and AP was associated with a higher immune response against PPR virus in mice. However, the appropriate inactivation kinetic of the virus and immunogenicity associated with the use of H2O2, as well as its biocompatibility property and better cost-benefit, nominated H2O2 to be used in iPPR preparation; however, more investigations are required in target animals.

Background: Specialized freeze-drying process is being used in the field for different thermostable vaccine preparation worldwide. The thermostability remains only in undiluted conditions. If dilution is made at the morning and used for the whole day, the vaccine efficacy is compromised at high ambient temperature. In this study, trehalose based specialized vaccine diluent was used to improve the stability of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) vaccine in diluted condition. Methods: The available PPR vaccine was reconstituted with conventional diluent and with trehalose based test diluent. The diluted vaccine was kept at ambient temperature without maintaining any cool chain. Stability of diluted vaccine virus was further assessed in vivo and in vitro at different temperatures. Goats were vaccinated and Vero cells were infected with reconstituted vaccines and were assessed at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 24 hours post dilution. Antibody titer was measured and virus infectivity titer was determined in both cultured cell lysate and supernatant. The presence of the virus particles in Vero cell was confirmed by standard RT-PCR targeting Fusion (F) gene of PPR virus. Results: In vivo results revealed that the number of goats possessed antibodies to PPR virus was higher in trehalose based vaccine formulation than the conventional PBS based diluent. Reconstituted vaccine virus (using PBS and trehalose diluent) infected Vero cells produced 70-80% cytopathic effect (CPE) in 5th days of post infection. Both diluents produced and maintained infectivity titer from log10 TCID50 5.5 to log10 TCID50 3.6, until the use of vaccines incubated for 9 hours after dilution. On the other hand, at 24 hours of post dilution only trehalose formulated vaccine produced log10 TCID502.5 whereas no infectivity titer was observed at the same time using conventional one. Conclusion: The present study suggests that trehalose preserves the quality of reconstituted vaccine in terms of infectivity titers. Trehalose can be a diluent of choice for reconstitution of PPR vaccine in field.

Peste des Petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious trans-boundary animal disease associated with 100% morbidity and 80-90% mortality in goat herds. The study was carried out to assess the immune status against PPRV in unvaccinated and post vaccinated flock as well as immune response as it relates to age, sex and breed using a homologous tissue culture PPR vaccine produced by National Vaccine Production Laboratory, Kathmandu, Nepal. A total 276 blood samples were randomly collected from different regions of Parbat, Baglung and Myagdi districts with a population of 0.0189 million goats. Out of these, 214 goats were vaccinated one month earlier and 62 were unvaccinated. PPR antibody was detected by using competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) (ID Screen, PPR competition test kit, IDvet France). Of the unvaccinated goats, 25.8% (16/62) were sero-positive suggesting prior exposure to PPRV. In the vaccinated goats, 75.2% (161/214) were sero-positive and 2.8% (6/214) animals were doubtful, suggesting a significant proportion failed to respond to vaccination. The competition percentage (S/N%±SD) of post-immunization (49.19±32.19) were significantly (p&lt;0.01) lower in comparison to the respective unvaccinated mean titre (75.76±35.51). There is no significant effect of age, sex or breed on the antibody titre value in PPR vaccinated animals. The sero-prevalence of PPR in unvaccinated animals suggested that these flocks are in high susceptibility to PPR outbreak and needs an implementation of control measures to reduce economic losses. Vaccination will increase the proportion of animals with a protective antibody level, however more investigation needs to be done to determine why almost one-quarter of animals failed to seroconvert to vaccination. Further detailed study is needed to find out the risk factors responsible for low prevalence of antibody against PPRV in the immunized flock.

Histopathological study of a natural outbreak of Peste des petits ruminants in goats of Tamilnadu

BackgroundPeste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a contagious disease listed by the World Organisation for Animal health (OIE) as being a specific hazard. It affects sheep, goats, and wild ungulates, and is prevalent throughout the developing world particularly Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. PPR has been targeted for eradication by 2030 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the OIE, after the successful eradication of the related disease, rinderpest in cattle. PPR was first reported in 1942 in the Ivory Coast in Western Africa and has since extended its range in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa posing an immediate threat of incursion into Europe, South East Asia and South Africa. Although robust vaccines are available, the use of these vaccines in a systematic and rational manner is not widespread, resulting in this devastating disease becoming an important neglected tropical disease in the developing world.MethodologyWe isolated and characterized the PPR virus from an outbreak in Cheraga, northern Algeria, during October 2015 by analyzing the partial N-gene sequence in comparison with other viruses from the Maghreb region. As well as sequencing the full length viral genome and performing real-time RT-PCR on clinical samples. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian temporal and phylogeographic analyses were performed to assess the persistence and spread of PPRV circulation from Eastern Africa in the Maghreb region of North Africa.ConclusionsRecent PPR outbreaks in Cheraga, in the northern part of Algiers (October 2015) and North-West Morocco (June, 2015) highlight that PPRV has spread to the northern border of North Africa and may pose a threat of introduction to Europe. Phylogeographic analysis suggests that lineage IV PPRV has spread from Eastern Africa, most likely from the Sudan 2000 outbreak, into Northern Africa resulting in the 2008 Moroccan outbreak. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis shows that these North African viruses cluster closely together suggesting the existence of continual regional circulation. Considering the same virus is circulating in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, implementation of a common Maghreb PPR eradication strategy would be beneficial for the region.

Aim:The work was conducted to diagnose peste des petits ruminants (PPR) outbreak through an in house developed indirect ELISA (thereafter referred as iELISA) its comparison with other available diagnostic tests and description of practical considerations in its development, utility and limitations.Materials and Methods:An outbreak resembled to PPR occurred in two different places of southern Gujarat viz. Vapi and Navsari, affecting 622 animals, including both goat (n = 476) and sheep (n = 146). Animals displayed the typical signs of PPR at Vapi; however diarrhea was the inconsistent feature in animals of Navsari. The affection caused morbidity of 100% and mortality were 73.68% (n = 392/532) and 56.67% (n = 51/90) in Vapi and Navsari outbreaks, respectively. Relevant ante mortem and post mortem samples were collected from representative animals. At the outset of the epidemic no kit was available with us, so agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) was carried out and a commercial ELISA (cELISA) kit was ordered for making diagnosis through antibody demonstration. Meanwhile, an iELISA was developed in house using PPR vaccine as antigen and protein G conjugated HRPO antibody as detector. Histopathology and results of sandwich ELISA were also used to diagnose PPR virus (PPRV) in the outbreak.Results:The iELISA developed had detected PPRV antibodies in 22/24 samples (91.66%). Significant difference was observed in disease sensitivity pattern of two species by Chi-square test. While AGID failed to detect antibodies in any sample. Results were reconfirmed by comparing with commercially available cELISA kit.Conclusion:PPR is an economically important disease and for the rapid diagnosis of PPR the in house developed antibody capture iELISA can be a suitable cost effective alternative.

Background and Aim:The peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of small ruminants which negatively affects animal production and the socioeconomic status of farmers. Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) encodes eight proteins, with the viral fusion protein (F) playing a role in virus virulence and stimulating an effective protective immune response. This study aimed to isolate and complete the identification of PPRV circulating in goats in different Egyptian governorates and perform molecular characterization of the PPRV F gene.Materials and Methods:Samples were collected from unvaccinated animals with clinical signs suggestive of PPR. A total of 256 sera were tested for the detection of PPRV antibodies using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) kit, while 214 samples of blood buffy coat preparation, animal swabs (nasal, ocular, and saliva), and fecal and tissue samples were tested for the detection of the PPRV antigen using an antigen-capture ELISA kit. Molecular diagnosis, gene cloning, blast analysis, and phylogenetic analysis were performed for the molecular characterization of PPRV.Results:The seroprevalence results of PPRV antibodies in the tested sera showed a total of 67.9% positive samples. The rates of PPR antigen recorded by the antigen-capture ELISA in the swabs (nasal and ocular) and tissue samples were 44.3%, 46.8%, and 43.5%, respectively, with saliva swabs having the highest rate of PPRV positivity (76.4%) and fecal samples having the lowest (33.3%). Molecular characterization of the PPRV Vero cell culture revealed that the circulating PPRV strain belongs to the IV lineage. Blast analysis of the PPRV F gene showed 96.7% identity with the PPRV strain Egypt-2014 fusion protein (F) gene, KT006589.1, differing by 43 single-nucleotide polymorphisms.Conclusion:The results of this study indicate that the emerging PPRV belongs to the IV lineage among small ruminant animals. The findings also indicate the need for an innovative strategy to control and eliminate this disease based on a regularly administered and effective vaccine, a test to distinguish between infected and vaccinated animals, and the need for further study on the protein structure and PPRV F gene expression, which should help us to understand the molecular evolution of the virus and control and eliminate PPR disease.

Simple SummaryPeste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and economically important viral disease of small ruminants and a large number of wildlife species. The causative agent, PPR virus (PPRV) is mainly circulating across large areas in Africa, the Middle East and Asia and is, fortunately, currently subject to a global eradication program. A robust vaccination program along with a rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis play a major role in the effective control and eradication of the disease. Furthermore, a genetic analysis of the circulating PPRV can help to identify the epidemiological linkage of the virus spread between neighboring countries. Here, we have developed an improved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that can detect low viral loads and help in genetic identification, particularly in resource-limited settings.Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of small ruminants caused by PPR virus (PPRV). PPR is endemic in Asia, the Middle East and across large areas of Africa and is currently targeted for global eradication by 2030. The virus exists as four different lineages that are usually limited to specific geographical areas. However, recent reports of spread of PPRV, in particular of lineage IV viruses to infection-free countries and previously PPR endemic areas are noteworthy. A rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis and reports on its epidemiological linkage for virus spread play a major role in the effective control and eradication of the disease. Currently, molecular assays, including conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) are usually used for diagnosis of PPR while the sequencing of part of the nucleocapsid gene is usually carried out for the viral lineage identification. However, it is difficult to diagnose and sequence the genetic material if the animal excreted a low level of virus at the initial stage of infection or if the PPRV is degraded during the long-distance transportation of samples to the reference laboratories. This study describes the development of a novel nested RT-PCR assay for the detection of the PPRV nucleic acid by targeting the N-protein gene, compares the performance of the assay with the existing conventional RT-PCR and also provides good-quality DNA suitable for sequencing in order to identify circulating lineages. The assay was evaluated using cell culture propagated PPRVs, field samples from clinically infected animals and samples from experimentally infected animals encompassing all four lineages (I–IV) of PPRV. This assay provides a solution with an easy, accurate, rapid and cost-effective PPR diagnostic and partial genome sequencing for use in resource-limited settings.

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of small ruminants that severely threatens rural livelihoods and global food security. Under the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs), the international animal health community has set the ambitious goal of eradicating PPR by 2030. However, significant disparities persist in the progression of PPR control across regions. This scoping review assesses the setbacks, deviations, and progress of 42 countries in Eastern, Western, and Northern Africa, as well as West Eurasia, toward achieving official freedom-from-PPR status. Progress was evaluated across key areas using the stepwise PPR Global Control and Eradication Strategy (GCES) approach and the PPR Monitoring and Assessment Tool (PMAT). The eligibility criteria included PubMed peer-reviewed studies, FAO/WOAH reports, presentations, guidelines, and country/region-specific PPR control plans from 2014 through 2024. The data are generated using qualitative and quantitative analyses, including spatial mapping and GCES stepwise progress evaluation. The findings reveal that many (31%) countries in the assessed regions remain in Stage 1 of the Progressive Stepwise Approach, whereas 59.5% have reached Stages 2 and 3, and only 4.8% are in Stage 4. Countries in Western Eurasia have achieved significant progress towards PPR control, with countries achieving PPR-free status, whereas, compared to Eastern and Northern Africa, the Western African region remains in the early control stages due to infrastructure gaps and resource constraints. Additionally, the recent suspension of PPR-free status in Romania, Greece and Hungary following disease emergence underscored vulnerabilities in historically free countries. The analysis results reiterate the critical role of regional collaboration, surveillance tools, and the integration of wildlife monitoring in advancing PPR control. These insights provide actionable pathways to addressing persistent barriers, highlighting the importance of adaptable, evidence-based approaches in achieving the global goal of PPR eradication by 2030.

The sero-surveillance and immunization studies on Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in non-descriptive indigenous sheep and Black Bengal goats aged between 5 to 12 months were carried out in the district of Mymensingh during the period from June to November 2003. Sero-prevalence of PPR by using competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) was conducted on 100 sheep and 100 goats which were selected randomly from 10 different areas in the district of Mymensingh. Of the 100 sheep and 100 goats tested, 27% sheep and 25% goats had positive (≥ 50) antibody titre. This indicates that 27% sheep and 25% goats might have the capability to resist natural PPR infection and accordingly, sero-monitoring could be required to give a better indication of nation herd immunity. The immunization study against PPR with a commercial PPR VAC® was conducted on 10 sheep and 10 goats by inoculating @ 1.0 ml vaccine / animal subcutaneously. The clinical, haematological, biochemical and antibody levels were determined at pre-immunization and at 7th, 14th and 21st day of postimmunization. The mean antibody titre at 7th, 14th and 21st day of post-immunization in sheep (38.28 ± 4.34, 58.63 ± 3.60 &amp; 68.27 ± 3.09) and goats (49.84 ± 4.37, 63.23 ± 3.64 &amp; 76.60 ± 4.07) were significantly (p &lt; 0.01) increased in comparison to the respective pre-immunization mean titre of sheep (20.0 ± 6.78) and goats (14.00 ± 6.96). Results of haematological examination showed that the PPR VAC® has no effects on haemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), packed celled volume (PCV) and total erythrocyte count (TEC). The TLC was markedly increased at all the stages of postimmunization in both sheep and goats but significantly (p &lt; 0.05) increased at 21st day (10.08 ± 1.55 103 / mm3) in sheep and at 14th day (14.76 ± 0.84 103 / mm3) in goats in comparison to pre-immunization values of sheep (7.95 ± 0.97 103 / mm3) and goats (9.00 ± 1.28 103 / mm3). No distinct difference was observed on rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory rate between the pre- and post-immunization values which indicates PPR-VAC® has no clinical effects in vaccinated animals. No significant differences on calcium, albumin, total serum protein (TSP) and glucose levels were observed between the pre- and post-immunization values in both the sheep and goats. But the TSP in both the sheep 8.43 ± 0.69 g/dl) and goats (8.26 ± 0.50 g / dl) at 21st day of post-immunization increased insignificantly (p &gt; 0.05) in comparison to the pre-immunization values of sheep (7.66 ± 0.79 g / dl) and goats (7.89 ± 0.92 g / dl). The results of humoral immune response produced by PPR-VAC® indicates the activity of the inoculated vaccine but challenge studies with virulent PPR virus would be required to confirm its efficacy. Key words: PPR, sheep, goats, sero-surveillance, C-ELISA, PPR-VAC®, haematology, biochemistry  doi: 10.3329/bjvm.v6i2.2334 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2008). 6 (2): 185-190

An outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in lambs and young goats of Najdi breed of sheep and goats occurred during winter 2005 at Qassim region of central Saudi Arabia. The PPR infection was confirmed by demonstration of antibodies against the virus in the serum of clinically-ill young sheep and goats using competitive ELISA test. Clinical examination of infected animals showed fever, salivation, lacrimation, mucopurulent nasal discharge, difficult breathing and diarrhoea. The disease was particularly severe in the goats. Morbidity was about 20% and mortality was less than 3 percent. Autopsy showed necrotic and ulcerative lesions in the mouth, stomach and intestine. Mesenteric lymph nodes were swollen and congested. The lungs were patchy pneumonic mostly at the diaphragmatic and apical lobes. Liver and kidney lesions were seen in goats only and both organs were congested and necrotic. Histopathological examination revealed necrotic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Intracytoplasmic viral inclusions were seen in the enterocytes of goats. Lung sections showed bronchopneumonia and syncytial and giant cells. The bronchial epithelium of goats had intracytoplasmic viral inclusions. Extensive coagulation necrosis, fatty degeneration and presence of intracytoplasmic viral inclusions were seen in hepatocytes and syncytial cells were evident in biliary epithelium of goats. Congestion, coagulation necrosis and syncytial cells were seen in the renal tubular epithelium of goats only. In a survey to determine the magnitude of the outbreak, PPR antibodies were evidenced in 363/996 (36.6%) sheep and 530/962 (55.1%) goats.

Serological response to a live commercial vaccine of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus administered to sheep and goats in Buchanan, the capital city of Grand Bassa County, Liberia was assessed in view of its importance for effective restocking of small ruminants in the city. Forty-four paired serum samples (pre- and post-vaccination) were collected from vaccinated sheep and goats during a nation-wide campaign for food security promotion from March to October, 2011. Sheep and goats were vaccinated against PPR in late April, 2011. Pre-vaccination samples were collected in mid-April, 2011. Post-vaccination samples were collected in mid-October 2011 from the same groups of sheep and goats (6 months after vaccination). Paired serum samples gathered were stored at -4 oC until tested. Competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA) was used to determine antibody levels against PPR virus. Only 34(77.3%) out of 44 paired serum samples were adequate in quantity and quality for the test. Test results indicated 27(79.4%) out of 44 paired serum samples increased significantly in antibody levels from prevaccination to post-vaccination levels that were equal or above threshold of Percentage Inhibition (PI &gt; 50%) against PPR vaccine. The importance of these findings to effective veterinary services delivery for the control of this neglected animal disease in Liberia is discussed. The present seroconversion status against PPR virus is considered to be a milestone in rebuilding veterinary services systems in Liberia towards national efforts for food security after prolonged civil war (1989-2003) in the country.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and devastating viral disease of goats and sheep caused by Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV). Despite of its impact on the livelihood of rural African communities, insufficient epidemiological information hampers the implementation of effective PPR control strategies. This study was carried out to determine seroprevalence and risk factors for PPR infection in sheep and goats in Longido, Simanjiro, Ngorongoro, Monduli, Kongwa and Mlele districts using a competitive Enzyme–Linked Immunosorbent Assay and questionnaire to detect PPR antibodies, and to collect information related to the potential risk factors for PPR respectively. A total of 583 serum samples from sheep (n=248), and goats (n=335), and 40 households were involved in questionnare. This study confirmed presence of antibodies to PPRV in sheep and goats in all districts studied; and identified management systems related to movement control to be an important risk factor for the spread of PPR. The results suggest that controlling animal movement and limiting interaction with wildlife could PPR transmission

In this study, the ability of the combined vaccine against peste des petits ruminants (PPR) (Nigeria strain 75/1) and sheep pox (SPP) (NISKhI strain) to form a protective immune response for 12 months in Kazakh breed fine-fleeced sheep aged 6–12 months was demonstrated. The duration of the protective immunity of immunized sheep from PPR and from SPP was evaluated using a serum neutralization test (SNT), followed by testing of the resistance of vaccinated sheep to infection with the field strain Kentau-7 of the PPRV and the virulent strain A of the SPPV. The PPR antibody response was additionally measured by c-ELISA. A single immunization of sheep with a combined vaccine in a volume of 2.0 mL, containing the PPR and SPP vaccine viruses in the titers of 103.0 TCID50/mL, provided reliable protection of animals from two infections simultaneously for 12 months (observation period). At the same time, in sheep immunized with the combined vaccine, antibodies of PPRV persisted for up to 12 months, with slight fluctuations. The combined vaccine induced 100% clinical protection against the field strain of PPRV and the virulent strain of SPPV in immunized sheep for up to 12 months, while unvaccinated animals became ill with the manifestation of clinical signs specific to PPRV and SPPV.

Lyantonde District, Uganda, is a recognized hotspot for Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) outbreaks. However, the magnitude and risk factors of PPR in this area remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PPR antibodies in goats and sheep and to identify associated risk factors in selected sub-counties of Lyantonde District. A cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted in July 2024 in three purposively selected sub-counties (Lyantonde, Lyakajula, and Kinuuka), chosen for their large small ruminant populations, high livestock trade activity, and active animal movement. Farms without a history of PPR vaccination were randomly selected, and simple random sampling was used to select study animals. Whole blood samples were collected from the jugular vein and analyzed using the ID Screen® PPR competitive ELISA kit to detect virus-specific IgG antibodies. Multivariate analysis was performed using Modified Poisson regression to identify risk factors associated with PPR seroprevalence. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values were reported. A total of 351 goats and sheep were sampled, with an overall apparent seroprevalence of 42.17% (n = 148). The Rogan-Gladen estimator gave a true prevalence of 44.27%, with goats showing a significantly (p = 0.046) higher prevalence (46.27%) compared to sheep (33.62%). Age was significantly associated with seropositivity. Animals aged > 1-3 years (aPR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.16-2.97, p = 0.009), and > 3-5 years (aPR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.54-4.24, p < 0.0001) had higher prevalence ratios compared to those < 1 year. Goats also had higher prevalence ratios than sheep (aPR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.01-2.53, p = 0.046). Farms reporting wildlife interactions had a 43% higher prevalence ratio (aPR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.07-1.91, p = 0.015), and acquisition of new animals from other farmers was similarly associated with higher prevalence ratios (aPR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.02-1.71, p = 0.029). This study shows the high burden of PPR among small ruminants in Lyantonde district, with higher prevalence in goats than sheep and identification of risk factors associated with seropositivity. The study provides baseline evidence of PPR exposure and documents differences by species, age group, animal acquisition practices, and reported wildlife interactions. These findings contribute to improved characterization of PPR epidemiology in Lyantonde district and may inform the design of future surveillance and control activities aimed at reducing PPR burden.