Global Veterinaria 12 (4): 512-516, 2014 ISSN 1992-6197 © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.gv.2014.12.04.8323 Corresponding Author: Kassaw Amsalu, Mekelle University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P.O.Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia. 512 Seroprevalence of Peste Des Petits Ruminants in Goats of Southern Parts of Tigray Region Berihun Afera, Daniel Hussien and Kassaw Amsalu Mekelle University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mekelle, Ethiopia Abstract: A cross-sectional study to investigate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) seroprevalence was conducted between December 2011 and August 2012 in selected sites of southern part of Tigray region Ethiopia. A total of 240 serum samples were collected from goats. Competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA) was used to detect the presence of antibodies in the sera of animals as indicator of exposure to the PPR virus. The results showed an overall individual animal seroprevalence of 47.5% (114/240). The seroprevalence of the disease in the different sites was 50.8% (22/48), 50% (24/48), 50% (24/48) and 45.8% (44/96) in Kukufto, Adigudem, Chercher and Maychew respectively where there is no statistical significance difference in the different sites (P>0.05). At the same time; the seroprevalence in the young and adult goats was 49.6% (59/119) and 45.% (55/121) respectively where there is no statistically significant (P>0.05). Similarly; the prevalence of the disease in male and female goats was 47.5% (28/59) in male and 47.5% (86/181) in female but there is no statistical significance between male and female goats(P>0.05). The high village-level seroprevalence of PPR illustrates a remarkable contagious nature of the disease. In conclusion, this study revealed a high seroprevalence and subsequent endemic establishment of PPR in goats in the selected study areas. This disease is detrimental to small ruminant welfare and causes substantial economic losses, thereby affecting the livelihood of poor farmers and pastoralists. The need for implementing feasible control measures is, therefore, eminent to minimize the losses associated with the disease. Key words: Competitive (ELISA) Goats PPR Seroprevalence Tigray INTRODUCTION listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The small ruminant population of Ethiopia is about nasal discharge, pneumonia, necrosis and ulceration 25,509,004 sheep and 22,786,946 Goats [1] Owing to their of the mucous membrane and inflammation of gastro- high fertility, short generation interval and adaptation intestinal tract leading to severe diarrhea [5]. Morbidity even in harsh environments, sheep and goats are and mortality rates can be as high as 100 and 90 per cent, considered as an important asset of poor framers. Small respectively. The causative agent of this economically ruminants are exploited in the country for diverse important disease of small ruminants is a Morbillivirus, the purposes [2]. However, small ruminant production and Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV), under the family productivity and producers' benefits are far below Paramyxoviridae of order Mononegavirales [6]. The virus expectations due diseases and other factors. Peste des is closely related to Rinderpest virus (RPV), another Petits Ruminants (PPR) is one of the important member of Morbillivirus genus, which causes similar diseases affecting the productivity of small ruminant [3]. disease in large ruminants [7]. The disease is first described by Gargadennec and Nowadays the disease is recognized as responsible Lalanne from Ivory Coast in West Africa [4]. for mortality and morbidity across many countries of the Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, highly world. Middle East and Arabian Peninsula; Iraq, Saudi contagious, notifiable and economically important Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Israel, Yemen and transboundary viral disease of goats and sheep, which is Oman are known to have the disease [8]. In Africa, PPR The disease is characterized by high fever, ocular and