The Spread of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus Lineage IV in West Africa
Emmanuel Couacy‐Hymann, Kouramoudou Bereté, Theophilus Odoom, Lamouni Habibata Zerbo, Yao Mathurin Koffi, Valère Kouame Kouakou, Mohamed Idriss Doumbouya, Aminata Balde, Patrick Tetteh Ababio, Lalidia Bruno Ouoba, Dominique Guigma, Adama Dji-tombo Drobo, Mariétou Guitti, Sherry Johnson, David Livingstone Mawuko Blavo, Giovanni Cattoli, Charles Euloge Lamien, William G. Dundon
Abstract
Monitoring the transboundary spread of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus is an essential part of the global efforts towards the eradication of PPR by 2030. There is growing evidence that Lineage IV is becoming the predominant viral lineage, replacing Lineage I and II in West Africa. As part of a regional investigation, samples collected in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Ghana were screened for the presence of PPRV. A segment of the nucleoprotein gene from positive samples was sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis revealed the co-circulation of Lineage II and IV in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea, and the identification of Lineage IV in Ghana. These data will be of importance to local and regional authorities involved in the management of PPRV spread.