Goat lung disease is a highly contagious, bacterial infectious disease in goats. Transmission to humans is not possible.

Goat lung disease occurs in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The exact distribution is insufficiently known.

Goat lung disease primarily affects goats. Sheep can (rarely) fall ill if they are in the same herd as goats. Occurrence in various wild ruminant species has been reported (wild goat, ibex, mouflon, gazelles).

Aerogenic (droplet infection)

6 to 10 days

Shortness of breath, cough, nasal discharge, loss of appetite and fever.

None. In endemic areas, some antibiotics (e.g., tylosin, tetracycline) have been shown to be effective, provided they are used early on

Prevention measures are compliance with quarantine measures and control of livestock traffic. Vaccination is possible.

Goat lung disease does not currently occur in Austria.

Mccp, formerly known as Mycoplasma sp. type F-38, belongs to the mycoplasmas, a group of cell-wallowing bacteria of the class "Mollicutes". Mccp is closely related to M. capricolum subsp. capricolum as well as to other members of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster(Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri, Mycoplasma leachii, etc.). The pathogen is difficult to isolate and requires a complex culture medium.

Symptomatology

The disease can be peracute, acute or chronic. Acute cases occur mainly in areas where CCPP first appears. Chronic cases are more common in enzootic areas.

Peracute: goats show few clinical signs and die within one to three days.

Acute: goats show high fever (41-43°C), lethargy and anorexia followed by cough and dyspnoea.

Chronic: goats show chronic cough, nasal discharge and are debilitated

All goats are susceptible, regardless of age or sex.

Pathomorphologically, the disease is characterized by a usually unilateral fibrinous pleuropneumonia with straw-colored, serofibrinous pleural effusion. The cut surface of the lung is granular to nodular (pea-sized nodules) with discharge of fibrin-rich exudate. In addition, liver-like hardened or discolored areas (hepatization) and focal necrosis may form. In the chronic form, encapsulation of the inflammatory foci and adhesions between the lung and chest wall may occur.

CCPP is highly contagious and can reach a morbidity rate of up to 100%. The mortality rate is also high and can reach up to 80 %.

Differential diagnosis:

• Peste des petits ruminants (PPR).
• Pasteurellosis
• Infectious agalactia of sheep and goats

The pathogen is unequivocally detected by PCR or by cultural cultivation from tissue. As cultural detection is very demanding, PCR is the method of choice. Serological tests (complement fixation reaction, latex agglutination test, cELISA) are possible on a herd basis.

Examination material in vivo: bronchoalveolar lavage, pleural exudate (by puncture), serum (in pairs at intervals of 3-8 weeks) Examination matioal post mortem: lung lesions (transition from healthy to diseased area), pleural exudate, mediastinal lymph nodes Transport of tissue should be refrigerated or at -20 °C.