Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) (Animal)

Primary reference(s)

OIE, 2018. Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (infection with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC). Chapter 3.4.8. World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Accessed 7 November 2020.

Additional scientific description

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) attacks the lungs and membranes that line the thoracic cavity (the pleura) causing fever and respiratory signs. It is manifested by anorexia, fever and respiratory signs such as dyspnoea, polypnea, cough and nasal discharges in bovines (OIE, 2018). 

Diagnosis requires the isolation of the aetiological agent (OIE, 2018). The name of CBPP has changed to: Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides SC (Mmm), but at the time of writing this had not been updated in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Manual (OIE, 2018).

CBPP has been unequivocally identified in Europe since the 18th century and gained a world-wide distribution during the latter half of the 19th century through cattle trade. CBPP was eradicated from many countries at the beginning of the 20th century, mostly through stamping-out strategies (UK, USA) or by vaccination campaigns followed by stamping-out strategies (Australia). Today, CBPP remains enzootic in many Sub-Saharan African countries, while in Europe the last CBPP cases were observed in Portugal in 1999. The situation in some Asian countries is unclear (OIE, 2018).

The main problems for control or eradication are the frequent occurrence of subacute or subclinical infections, the persistence of chronic carriers after the clinical phase and the lack of extensive vaccine coverage. CBPP has a major impact on livestock production and a potential for rapid spread (OIE, 2018).

Countries free of CBPP may pose trade restriction of domestic and wild cattle and buffaloes from countries considered infected with CBPP. CBPP-infected countries are excluded from international trade of live animals (OIE, 2018).

CBPP is a disease listed by the OIE in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (OiE, 2019).

There is no evidence that humans are infected by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides SC (Mmm) (CFSPH, 2015).

Metrics and numeric limits

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is included in the OIE list of notifiable diseases (OIE, 2019). Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia prevention and control strategies (FAO, 2019).

Examples of drivers, outcomes and risk management

Drivers: introduction of infected animal to a naive population.

Outcomes: eventual death of infected animals, spread of infection, trade ban.

Risk management: diagnostic, vaccination programme, treatment with antimicrobials, movement control, depopulate infected herd, improve biosecurity at farms.

In their report on the control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) noted that the policies in addressing the control and management of CBPP are in disarray at both the national and international level (FAO, 2019). There has not been significant improvement in the efficacies of available vaccines or diagnostic assays for several decades while social conditions have evolved and populations have grown, making many traditional quarantine interventions logistically more problematic (FAO, 2019).

Classic strategies of mass vaccination and strict movement control that were once perceived as successful in rolling back the disease are largely ignored due to high costs, concerns of declining impact and growing public resistance (OIE, 2018; FAO, 2019).

Officially, treatment with antibiotics is discouraged or prohibited, yet their use is widespread. CBPP is an enigmatic disease, and research results often lack reproducibility for reasons mainly related to the fundamental pathobiology of the agent. This complicates strategic dialogue and delays decision-making. The regulatory and policy environment is still geared towards expected free public-supported programmes, although the level of implementation is insufficient to be of real service to farmers (FAO, 2019).

Moving forward, a three-point time-bound approach is suggested (FAO, 2019):

• A period of scaling out of integrated control measures designed to optimise the contribution of vaccination, treatment and institutional arrangements for delivery and monitoring of CBPP control. Throughout this period, CBPP control will expand in an evidenced-based manner that incorporates action research.
• An aggressive control phase under government coordination and regulation that seeks to suppress prevalence in endemic areas to the point of elimination of the disease.
• At 10 years in the future, progress will be reviewed to consider the feasibility of eradication. The epidemiological status of the disease, impact of existing control programmes and availability of new tools will be significant factors in the analysis.