title: Rinderpest: the disease and its impact on humans and animals.
abstract: 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. Although a very effective vaccine is available, it is heat labile, and logistical and financial problems hamper its delivery to the remote areas of Africa and Asia where enzootic foci remain. Periodic epizootics emerge from these foci and spread into neighboring areas, mainly as a result of uncontrolled livestock movement and trading. This is particularly true during wars or civil disturbances when normal veterinary controls do not operate. The disease continues to cause devastating economic losses in domestic livestock in areas of the world where it remains endemic.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Rossiter
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D018103:Morbillivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010802:Phylogeny; D012301:Rinderpest / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology