Epidemiology and ecopathology of respiratory diseases of small ruminants in semi-arid West Africa

Traoré, A. and Wilson, R.T. 1989. Epidemiology and ecopathology of respiratory diseases of small ruminants in semi-arid West Africa. In: Wilson, R.T. and Melaku, A. (eds.). 1989. African Small Ruminant Research and Development. Proceedings of a conference held at Bamenda, Cameroon 18 - 25 January 1989. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: ILCA.

A short literature review and the personal experiences of the authors in the Sahelian zone of Mali are used as a basis for describing the epidemiology and ecopathology of small ruminant respiratory diseases. Prospects for control and future research priorities are outlined. Respiratory diseases often cause more than 50% of deaths in the West African semi-arid zone and are the major disease problem in small ruminants. A number of surveys has proved the presence of the principal respiratory viruses and bacteria. Attempts to overcome the problem by vaccination have had only limited success in controlling outbreaks. The necessity of using management techniques in any campaign to control the complex of respiratory diseases is emphasized.