In 1920, Rinderpest occurred unexpectedly in Belgium, when infected zebu cattle from India on their way to Brazil stopped in transit at the port of Antwerp. At the initiative of France, an international conference was held to which all countries were invited. The conference was held in Paris in May 1921.

When did the rinderpest start?

Rinderpest is alleged to have been imported from Europe into the United States in the 1860s but did not become established [27, 28]. After a massive epizootic in 1709 [29–31], programs to control rinderpest constituted one of Europe's major public health efforts.

When was the rinderpest in South Africa?

Rinderpest, a highly contagious cattle disease which swept through southern Africa in 1896–7, has attracted little interest from historians.

When did rinderpest outbreak in Africa?

RINDERPEST (CATTLE PLAGUE) Although rinderpest has periodically invaded Egypt in the past, the disease was not known in southern Africa before 1896. According to Lugard (1893) the plague was introduced along the East Coast of Africa, opposite Aden, in 1889. The infection was probably introduced from Arabia or India.

How did rinderpest start?

The virus could well have been the origin of human measles when people first started to domesticate cattle, more than 10,000 years ago. Historical accounts suggest that rinderpest originated in the steppes of Central Eurasia, later sweeping across Europe and Asia with military campaigns and livestock imports.

How We Eradicated Cattle Plague

16 related questions found

What is epizootic and enzootic?

Epizootiology deals with epizootic and enzootic levels of animal disease. An epizootic is defined as an outbreak of disease in which there is an unusually large number of cases, whereas an enzootic refers to a low level of disease that is constantly present in a population (Steinhaus, 1967; Onstad et al., 2006).

When did India eradicate rinderpest?

The International Committee of World Organization for Animal Health OIE recognized India as free from Rinderpest infection on 25th May, 2006.

When did render paste arrived in Africa?

Rinderpest was introduced into sub-Saharan Africa in 1887 when infected cattle from India were imported into Ethiopia to feed Italian soldiers. The disease infected local cattle with 90% mortality, and over the next decade spread across the continent.

Which disease spread like wildfire in Africa in the 1890's?

In the 1890s, an epizootic of the rinderpest virus struck Africa, considered to be "the most devastating epidemic to hit southern Africa in the late nineteenth century".

When did rinderpest end?

Finding none, rinderpest was declared eradicated by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on 25 May 2011.

Who introduced rinderpest in Africa?

Rinderpest was introduced into Africa with disastrous consequences in the late 1880s with cattle imported from India to feed Italian troops in fighting a colonial war in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia).

When was the news on rinderpest Eradication published?

Rinderpest can wipe out entire herds of cattle in a matter of days. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) announced the global eradication of rinderpest on 25 May 2011.

Where was cattle plague spread 1890?

The rinderpest epidemic of the 1890's was apparently the first in Africa; it swept through a whole continent of susceptible animals at a time when the only country to have a veterinary service was Cape Colony, and when the ox was the principal means of transport.

What is Rift Valley Fever?

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral disease most commonly seen in domesticated animals in sub-Saharan Africa, such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels. People can get RVF through contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals, or through bites from infected mosquitoes.

Does rinderpest still exist?

Rinderpest is the second infectious disease, after smallpox, to have been eradicated. However, potentially infectious rinderpest virus material remains widely disseminated among research and diagnostic facilities across the world and poses a risk for disease recurrence should it be released.

How did the wildebeest get rinderpest?

Rinderpest disease is caused by a virus that affects hoofed animals, including cattle and wildebeest. In the 1950s, a cattle vaccination program was implemented to eradicate the disease in the Serengeti, and this led to dramatic changes in the populations of wildebeest and other species.

How was rinderpest introduced to Africa?

Rinderpest in South Africa: From “Stamping Out” to Vaccine Breakthroughs. Rinderpest spread rapidly into South and Southwest Africa through Bechuanaland during 1896, using trek oxen, wildlife, and cattle transhumance.

Which disease spread like wildfire in Africa in the 1980?

Epidemic cholera spreads like wildfire.

What are the symptoms of rinderpest?

Signs of rinderpest may include:

• grain-like bumps in the nostrils and inside the lips and cheeks that often develop into ulcers.
• discharge of watery mucus from eyes and nostrils, occasionally including blood.
• rapid breathing.
• reduced milk production in cows.
• loss of appetite.
• fever.

Is rinderpest a zoonotic disease?

The term Rinderpest is a German word meaning "cattle-plague". The rinderpest virus (RPV) is closely related to the measles and canine distemper viruses. The measles virus possibly emerged from rinderpest as a zoonotic disease around 600 BC, a period that coincides with the rise of large human settlements.

In which of the following Continent did the rinderpest spread?

Devastating epizootics of rinderpest occurred across Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, and a massive epizootic spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa in the late 19th century (1887–97), decimating populations of cattle and certain wildlife.

How did the elimination of rinderpest in the Serengeti affect the buffalo population?

Following reduction of rinderpest and buffalo population increase, interspecific competition for food, notably with cattle and wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus Burchell), was thought to be the primary regulatory factor in the ecosystem.

What is rinderpest caused by?

Rinderpest is an ancient plague of cattle and other large ruminants, with descriptions of its effects dating back to Roman times. It is caused by a morbillivirus closely related to human measles virus.

What is Zoonose?

Related Pages. Zoonotic diseases (also known as zoonoses) are caused by germs that spread between animals and people.

What is the Epizootics?

: an outbreak of disease affecting many animals of one kind at the same time also : the disease itself.