An Outbreak Of Sheep And Goat Pox Disease In A Farm In Kiambu West District, Kenya

Abstract

Sheep and goat pox is a contagious viral disease of small ruminant (goat and sheep) where morbidity in adult sheep and goats may range up to 80% with some subclinical infections and mortality can approach 50%. In susceptible lambs and kids under one month of age, morbidity may approach 100% and mortality as high as 95%.The outbreak in this farm affected 42(64.6%) out of 65 goats and 1(20%) out of 5 sheep. One of the affected goats had aborted while 10 adult goats and 3 kids had died. The farmers had introduced goats from outside into his flock prior to the outbreak. The major clinical signs in affected goats and sheep were lacrimation, oculonasal discharges, nodular lesions in the perineum, inguinal, axillae and muzzle and enlarged prescapular lymphnodes. The nodular swelling on the skin and muzzle and enlarged lymph nodes were also noted in the postmortem. The clinical signs and postmortem examination were used to arrive at the diagnosis. The affected sheep and goats responded well to sulphamethaxazole and trimethoprim combination treatment. The farmers was also advised to have the whole flock vaccinated. There is a need to investigate this disease in the area where the goats introduced originated from.