Plague has been found in goat and sheep populations in the central Greece region of Thessaly, prompting local authorities to request that it is considered “a state of emergency”.
The region is widely recognized as the heart of Greece’s agricultural production and dairy industry, and key exporter of the globally beloved ‘feta’ cheese product.
Also known as ‘plague of small ruminants’ or PPR, Greece’s Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, said during a briefing on the issue, “I want to make it clear that the plague of small ruminants [sheep, goats and lamb] poses absolutely no risk to public health. It is a completely different disease entity compared to those that can affect human health and create a public health issue.”
According to reports at TO VIMA, 9 cases of plague have been detected and over 2,400 animals have been culled.
The governor of the region has requested that the relevant ministry declares a “state of emergency” in order to mobilize more resources and accelerate bureaucratic procedures related to managing the crisis.
The veterinary service from the region of Thessaly, where the cases have been documented, highlight that while the disease is not transmitted to humans, “its impact on livestock farming, the local economy, and by extension the national economy is enormous and threatens the region’s livestock and its export activities.”
About the Plague – PPR
PPR, which also goes by ‘peste des petits ruminants’ and ‘sheep and goat plague,’ is a highly contagious animal disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants.
It is caused by a virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus, family Paramixoviridae and can impact up to 90% of a herd once it is introduced, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
The disease is transmitted through close contact of healthy animals with sick ones, direct contact with secretions of sick animals (tears, saliva, urine, feces), and indirectly through contaminated feed, bedding, machinery, and animal transport vehicles.
Symptoms in susceptible animals include high fever, lethargy and drowsiness, difficulty breathing and coughing, severe diarrhea, lesions with serous fluid around the eyes and nose, severe salivation from the mouth (wet face appearance), lesions inside the mouth (white plaques on the gums and the inside of the lips), and sudden mass deaths.
PPR is a WOAH-listed disease and thus its presence must be reported to relevant international bodies, in accordance with the Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Greek authorities stated this morning in a press briefing that this is the first time that PPR has been recorded in the country.
Due to the high morbidity of PPR, it has a high economic impact on communities in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where small ruminants contribute to guaranteeing livelihoods.
The World Health Organization notes that vaccines are available for PPR, so it hopes to eradicate sheep and goat plague by 2030.
Protection Measures
Farmers have been instructed to regularly clean and disinfect their farm areas and inspect their herds daily. Also, they must avoid contact with other animals and other herds, and avoid borrowing and lending animals, tools and vehicles from other farms.
‘Protection zones’ have been established within 3 kilometers around infected farms in Larissa and Trikala, while 10-kilometer surveillance zones have been established around other farms.
Tsiaras said that the Ministry to mobilize 100 veterinarians as of Monday to conduct inspections and provide guidance.
Thessaly’s Ongoing Struggle
Thessaly is a region in central Greece crucial for the country’s agricultural activities which was heavily impacted by catastrophic floods last autumn, stemming from hurricane Daniel.
Since that time, the region has struggled to recover, as the floods caused a massive loss of livestock, and damage to farms and overall infrastructure. Moreover, in the aftermath of the floods, the region has recorded outbreaks of disease, polluted drinking water, and insect infestations.
Authorities have not stated that there is a link between the current outbreak of plague and the floods from hurricane Daniel.
