Peste Des Petits Ruminants in Pakistan: Current Status, Challenges and Prospects for Vaccine Development

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects goats and sheep, causing severe clinical signs, high mortality, and significant economic losses in many developing countries. Pakistan is one of the endemic regions where PPR outbreaks caused by the Asian lineage IV virus have been reported frequently, affecting the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers who depend on these animals for food security and income generation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current status, challenges and prospects for vaccine development against PPR in Pakistan. We discuss the epidemiology, diagnosis, and control of PPR in Pakistan, as well as the existing vaccines based on the attenuated strains and their limitations, such as low thermostability, short shelf life, and inability to differentiate between infected and vaccinated animals. We also highlight the recent advances in vaccine research and development, such as recombinant and vectored vaccines, thermostable formulations, and novel delivery methods that could overcome these limitations and enhance the immunogenicity and safety of PPR vaccines. We review the current and potential strategies for vaccine deployment, such as mass vaccination, targeted vaccination, ring vaccination, and their implications for the global eradication of PPR by 2030. We conclude by providing some recommendations for future research and development to improve vaccine efficacy, safety, and coverage in Pakistan, as well as to monitor the impact of vaccination on PPR incidence and prevalence.