Abstract:
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is a disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma mycoidessubsp.
mycoidessmall colonies. The disease is characterized by a relatively long incubation period and a highly
variable clinical course. Recovered animals may harbour the infection in lung sequestra: necrotic areas of lung
tissue separated from the surrounding normal tissue by a fibrous capsule. Contagious bovine Pleuropneumonia
is current disease of major concern throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The principal route of infection is by the
inhalation of infective droplets from animals active or carrier cases of the disease. An essential part of the
pathogenesis of the disease is thrombosis in the pulmonary vessels, probably prior to the development of
pneumonic lesions. It is manifested by anorexia, fever and respiratory signs such as dyspnoea, polypnoea,
cough and nasal discharges. Diagnosis depends on the isolation of an etiological agent. The common methods
used for the diagnosis of the disease are complement fixation test and enzyme linked immune sorbent assays.
It is considered to be a disease of economic importance. The disease is endemic in Ethiopia. The major control
method practiced in Ethiopia is vaccination. The main problems for control or eradication are the uncontrolled
movements of animals and the frequent occurrence of sub-acute or subclinical infections and the persistence
of chronic carriers after the clinical phase. Therefore, adequate control strategic measures should be
implemented for eradication of the disease such as test and slaughter, stamping out, quarantine and
vaccination.
