What is the risk for Europe?
View of EFSA
The presence of PPR in countries on the southern shores of the Mediterranean, North Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East, led the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to assess the risk of the virus crossing the borders towards goat and sheep stocks in European Union countries.
In a January 2015 study entitled, Scientific opinion on the peste des petits ruminants, it notes that the most frequent and efficient route for the introduction of PPR into a country is the entry of infected live animals. As the importation of live small ruminants from enzootic countries in the South was banned by European health legislation, the risk of PPRV introduction is linked to illegal movements, for example, via private vehicles. Indirect virus introduction pathways, either through contaminated meat products or fomites, such as livestock transport vehicles which have not been disinfected, theoretically are possible but viral transmission to a disease-free animal is highly unlikely.
And for France?
The risk of PPR introduction in France was estimated to be minimal to none (level 1 and 2 on a scale of 9). If, however, the virus enters French territory or that of a European country, the application of regulations in force should enable rapid control (slaughter and/or vaccination before culling) and renders unlikely the risk of endemisation and serious economic consequences for the sectors concerned.
Nonetheless, the most effective prevention measures to reduce the risk of PPR spread at the global level rely on reinforced cooperation between European Union countries and enzootic countries in the South.
