Discuss each of rinderpest and Newcastle diseases under the following headings (i0 host organism (2 marks) (ii) Casual organsim (2 marks) (iii) Mode of transmission (4 marks) (iv) Symptoms (4 marks) (v) Control (4 marks)
Explanation
Rinderpest: (i) Animals attacked: cattle, goat, sheep. (ii) Causal organism: virus
(iii) Mode of transmission: This can be transmitted through contact with materials contaminated with discharge from lesions and direct contact with infected animals.
(iv) Symptoms: Higher fever, difficulty in breathing, pus with blood oozes from lesions, blood stain diarrhoea, weakness or inactivity, lesions (sores) on mucus membranes of the nose, mouth, anus, and around the eye.
(v) Control: There would be yearly vaccination with tissue cultured rinderpest vaccine, Animals affected would be isolated. Affected animals would be killed burnt or buried.
Newcastle: (i) Animals attacked: fowl/chicken, turkeys, Guinea fowl, pigeons.
(ii) Causal organisms: virus
(iii) Mode of transmission: The disease can be transmitted through ingestion of infected feed and water, direct contact with infected animals and contact with contaminated materials e.g. litters.
(iv) Symptoms: paralysis, drastic loss of weight, breathing difficulty, droopiness, voiding of green, foul smelling watery faeces, loss of appetite, coughing and sneezing, purplish wattles and combs, neck -twisting (Torticolis) leading somersaulting, mucus discharge from eye and nostrils, drop in egg production and abnormal shape of the head.
(v) Control: vaccination with new castle disease vaccine), sanitation, culling, eliminate all stock, burn or bury dead birds and isolate or cull diseased animals