Review and comprehensive analysis of knowledge, tools, and implementation gaps for the control of contagious bovine...

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a severe respiratory disease of cattle, caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, and is included in the list of notifiable diseases of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). CBPP was successfully eradicated from the USA, Australia, Europe, and parts of southern Africa, primarily through the application of drastic stamping-out policies. However, the disease remains endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, where it continues to spread despite considerable control efforts, causing significant losses and posing a serious risk of antimicrobial resistance emergence. Recognised as a major cattle disease, CBPP is included in the DISCONTOOLS database, which aims "to identify the gaps in knowledge to speed up the development of new disease control tools and to reduce the burden of animal diseases". This work presents the outcome of a comprehensive analysis by a group of experts, who reviewed existing knowledge on CBPP aetiology, host-pathogen interactions, epidemiology, impact, and control. Key knowledge and technical gaps were identified, along with critical needs to support improved disease control and eventual eradication. These include a better understanding of the disease's distribution, incidence and impact; the mechanisms of transmission and persistence at the population level; the molecular basis of pathogenicity and protective immune responses; the development of affordable and reliable diagnostic tools, including pen-side tests; and the design of safer, more effective, and thermostable vaccines, including DIVA and multi-valent options. In addition, cost-effective intervention strategies combining multiple control measures, such as vaccination and the rational, regulated use of antibiotics, must be developed and validated, alongside surveillance for antimicrobial resistance in the field. Social, political, and financial factors contributing to the persistence and spread of the disease must also be addressed. Importantly, based on this analysis, a set of cost-effective actions and practical recommendations has been proposed to mitigate the most critical gaps. With adequate financial, scientific, and political commitment, the eradication of CBPP remains an achievable goal.