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PATHOGEN SAFETY DATA SHEET

Sheep and Goat Pox

SECTION I: DISEASE / INFECTIOUS AGENT

SYNONYM / CROSS REFERENCE: Sheep Pox, SGP, Goat Pox, Capripox (1), GPV, Goat poxvirus ICTV⁽²⁾

ETIOLOGY / TAXONOMY:
Family: Poxviridae ⁽³⁾
Genus: Capripoxvirus⁽³⁾
Species: Sheepox virus, goatpox virus, Kenya sheep and goatpox virus ⁽⁴⁾
There is cross protection between capripoxviruses which cannot be distinguished serologically or morphologically.

ORGANISM CHARACTERISTICS:

• Large lipid-containing virus ⁽¹⁾
• Double-stranded DNA, non-enveloped ⁽⁵⁾
• Only one serotype exists ⁽⁶⁾
• Closely related to Lumpy skin disease virus – cannot differentiate serologically ⁽⁷⁾
• Considerable cross-protection between capripox viruses ⁽⁷⁾

SURVEILLANCE:

Sheep and Goat Pox is a reportable disease in Canada. Animal owners, veterinarians and laboratories are required to immediately report the presence of an animal that is contaminated or suspected of being contaminated to a CFIA district veterinarian. Control or eradication measures will be applied immediately (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/H-3.3/fulltoc.html).

DISTRIBUTION:

• The status of Sheep and Goat Pox in Canada is non-indigenous ^(1,6)
• Disease is found in central and north Africa, central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the Indian subcontinent ⁽⁶⁾
• Merino and other European breeds are highly susceptible, – native African and Middle Eastern breeds are more resistant ⁽⁸⁾

SECTION II: ANIMAL HEALTH HAZARD AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

CLINICAL DISEASE / PATHOGENESIS:

1) Clinical signs: ^(3,9)

Mild Form: seen in partially immune or resistant animals - is often missed clinically
Skin lesions are few in number and restricted to ears and tail areas

Severe Form: seen in fully susceptible flocks, and is more severe in lambs and kids than adults
Mortality may range from 50 % in a flock to 100 % in young animals

• Rapid fever onset ( 42°C ) , salivation, depression
• Arch back stance, and reluctant to move
• Conjunctivitis, lacrimation, rhinitis, edema of eyelids, photophobia
• Cutaneous eruption beginning with erythematous areas especially noticeable in hair or wool-free parts, such as the perineum, inguinal area, scrotum, udder, muzzle, eyelids and axillae, – form vesicles, exuding pustules, encrustation and final scab over in two weeks
• Peracute death can occur prior to any visible lesions
• Acute respiratory distress is evident with lung lesions – death primarily due to secondary infections
• Generalized hemorrhages and mucosal membrane ulcerations prior to death can occur
• Healing can take up to 6 weeks
• Complete recovery can be as long as 3 months
• Papulo-vesicular form:
  • Papules become a white-grey colour, desiccate and form crusts that are easy to remove
  • Rarely, papules may form into vesicles
• Nodular form (stone pox)
  • Papules give rise to nodules involving all layers of skin and subcutaneous tissue
  • Lesions 0.5-3 cm in diameter, hyperaemic, thickened and raised above surrounding skin ⁽¹⁾
  • Necrosis and sloughing if the nodules leaves a hairless scar

2) Infectious dose: Unknown

3) Incubation period: Incubation period is 8-14 days, but may be as short as 5 days ^(6,10)

SOURCE / MODE OF TRANSMISSION / COMMUNICABILITY:

• Highly contagious ⁽⁴⁾
• Direct contact via the respiratory route is most common mode of transmission ⁽¹⁾, but may also enter the body through abraded skin ⁽⁶⁾
• Virus is present in all secretions and excretions of infected animals, including milk, and scabs from skin lesions ⁽¹⁾
• Short distance aerosol transmission from nasal secretions and saliva ⁽¹⁾
• Viruses can be spread on fomites ⁽⁶⁾ including clothing and equipment where they may persist for 6 months ⁽¹⁾
• Transmitted mechanically by biting insects feeding on skin lesions and exudates ^(1,6)
• Infected animals do NOT become chronic “carriers” ^(1,6)

VECTORS:

• Insects can acts as mechanical vectors over short distances ^(1,6)
• The stable fly Stomoxys calclitrans and Musca species flies have been implicated in transmitting the disease after feeding on exudate from lesions ⁽¹⁾

HOST RANGE:

• Sheep and Goats ⁽³⁾
• Virus replicates in cattle, however, NO clinical signs are evident. ⁽³⁾

ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL:

• SGP cannot be transmitted to humans ^(5,6)

RESERVOIR:

• Feral goats are a possible reservoir ⁽⁵⁾
• Vermin and predators may act as mechanical carriers ⁽⁵⁾

Section III: DIAGNOSIS

NECROPSY / HISTOPATHOLOGY FINDINGS:

• Postmortem examination reveals hemorrhagic ulcerations in the lining of the trachea and gastrointestinal tract ⁽¹⁾
• Lung lesions consisting of small pale grey sub-pleural, hard, focal, and uniformly distributed nodules may be found ⁽¹⁾ in about 40 % of infected cases, – congestion, edema, focal necrosis, lobular atelectasis are present
• Skin usually contains macules and papules with areas of edema, hemorrhage, congestion, necrosis and vasculitis ⁽⁶⁾
• Papules penetrate through the dermis and epidermis and may extend into the musculature ⁽⁶⁾
• Pale foci are sometimes present on the surface of the kidney, liver, and testicles ⁽⁶⁾
• Lymph nodes enlarged up to 8 times normal size, lymphoid proliferation, edema, congestion, hemorrhage ⁽³⁾
• Pox lesions on mucous membranes of eyes, mouth, nose, pharynx, epiglottis, trachea, rumenal and abomasal mucosae, and on the muzzle, nares, in the vulva, prepuce, testicles, udder, and teats ⁽³⁾

SAMPLE SUBMISSION:

• Whole blood
• Serum
• Fixed and fresh tissues - full set of tissues , including lymph node aspirates

All samples should be transported at 4°C.

For more information regarding the type of samples necessary for Sheep Pox and Goat Pox diagnosis, please contact the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease:

LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS:^(6,10)

• Agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGID)
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
• Virus neutralization
• Western blot analysis
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
• Electron microscopy
• Virus isolation
• Histopathology

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY:

• No drug treatment available ⁽³⁾
• Cell-cultured attenuated and inactivated vaccines to prevent the disease, providing about 5 months protection ^(1,11)

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS:

The following diseases may show clinical similarity to Sheep and Goat Pox: ^(3,6)

• Contagious ecthyma (contagious pustular dermatitis)
• Bluetongue
• Mycotic dermatitis
• Sheep scab
• Mange (scabies)
• Photosensitization
• Peste des petits ruminants
• Parasitic pneumonia
• Caseous lympadenitis

SECTION IV: DECONTAMINATION PROCEDURES

Select a registered disinfectant with a drug identification number (DIN). Use according to label directions for concentration and contact time. Consider organic load and temperature. It is recommended that laboratories evaluate the effectiveness of the disinfectant using a validated method (eg. Quantitative Carrier Test). See table 1 to help select a registered disinfectant for use against Sheep and Goat Pox.

Table 1: Active ingredients considered to be effective against Sheep and Goat Pox.

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION:

• Susceptible to 56°C for 1 hour and 65°C for 30 minutes ⁽³⁾
• Susceptible to highly alkaline or acid pH ⁽³⁾
• Susceptible to sunlight ⁽¹⁾

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE OF HOST:

• Persits for at least 3 months in the wool, hair and scabs of infected animals ⁽¹⁾
• Survives for up to 6 months in a suitable environment, such as shaded animal pens ⁽¹⁾
• Virus survives well at cold temperatures ⁽¹⁾
• Virus may remain infective for up to 3 months on hair or wool of infected animals ⁽¹²⁾

SECTION V: LABORATORY HAZARDS FOR HUMANS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS:

• None, virus not deemed to be zoonotic

BIOSAFETY PRECAUTIONS :

• None

SECTION VI: PHYSICAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS:

All physical containment and operational practices for containment level 3, as per the Containment Standards for Veterinary Facilities must be met. In addition, respiratory protection must be used when performing aerosol-prone procedures. The Standards can be accessed at : http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/lab/convet/convete.shtml.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT :
Laboratory:

• Primary layer of protective clothing should include dedicated laboratory clothing (e.g. scrubs and headwear) and laboratory dedicated footwear.
• Secondary layer of protective clothing (e.g.. solid-front gowns with tight-fitting wrists, 2 pairs of gloves) should be worn over laboratory clothing when directly handling infectious materials.
• Respiratory protection is not deemed necessary when directly handling infectious materials
• A shower is required on exit.

Post Mortem:

• Primary layer of protective clothing should include dedicated laboratory clothing (e.g. scrubs and headwear) and laboratory dedicated footwear.
• Secondary layer of protective clothing (e.g. solid-front gowns with tight-fitting wrists, 2 pairs of gloves) should be worn over laboratory clothing when directly handling infectious materials.
• Cut resistant gloves, steel toed/steel shanked rubber boots.
• Respiratory protection for SGPV is not required – extraneous aerosol material volumes may deem protection necessary.
• A shower is required on exit.

HANDLING INFORMATION :
Spills in laboratory:
Spill protocol must be in place and include the following scenarios:

• Spills inside the Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC)
• Spills outside the BSC
• Spills while performing aerosol generating procedures
• Also consider entry and exit procedure modifications if necessary, appropriate PPE, disinfection of spill and surroundings including contact time, flow (pattern) of the clean up and disposal of contaminated materials.

Refer to Table 1 for disinfectant selection.

STORAGE: All cultures and infected material should be stored in leakproof, sealed containers that are accurately labeled and clearly identified as a biohazard risk. The access to infectious material should be controlled at all times. Records must be kept to describe the use, inventory and disposal of infectious material.

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all infectious material prior to disposal. Use steam sterilization, incineration or chemical disinfection.

REFERENCES:

1. Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan. 1996. Disease Strategy, Sheep and goat pox. http://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=2B2AF152-B11F-DF79-F14B-F5E74A279567&siteName=aahc.
2. FAO’s Animal Production and Health Division. AGA- Disease Cards, Sheep and Goat Pox. http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/sgp.html.
3. World Organization for Animal Health, OIE. Animal Diseases Data, Sheep and goat pox, updated 22/04/2002. http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/a_A100.htm.
4. Radostits OM, Gay CC, Blood DC, and KW Hinchcliff. Veterinary Medicine, A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Goats and Horses. Ninth Edition. W.B. Saunders Company Ltd. 2000. Pages 1254-5.
5. Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan. Operational Procedures Manual: Decontamination. 2000. Page 5 and 38-50.
6. The Center for Food Security and Public Health. Sheep and goat pox Fact Sheet. Dec 4, 2003. http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/sheep_and_goat_pox.pdf
7. Croetzer, J. A. W., Trustin, R. C., Infectious Diseases of Livestock 2^nd edition 2005, Oxford University Press.
8. Geering, W. A., Forman, A. S., Nunn M. J., Exotic Diseases of Animals, A Field Guide for Australian Veterinarians, 236 - 241.
9. Foreign Animal Diseases, United States Animal Health Association 1998 revised edition, 384 - 391.
10. Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, OIE World Organisation for Animal Health. Sheep Pox and Goat Pox, updated 2004/07/23. http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual/A_00033.htm
11. The Merck Veterinary Manual, Eighth Edition. Edited by S.E. Aiello and A. Mays. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Co., 1998. Pages 622-3.
12. Sawhney AN, Singh AK, Malik BS. Goat-pox: An anthropozoonosis. The Indian Journal of Medical Research. 1972; 60:683-684.

LAST UPDATED (DATE): 2005/11/08

PREPARED BY: The Biohazard Containment and Safety Unit, CFIA

Disclaimer: Although the information and recommendations in this Pathogen Safety Data Sheet are compiled from reliable sources, there is no guarantee, warranty or any assurance that the information and recommendations are correct, accurate, sufficient, reliable or current and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency shall not be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from or in connection with the use of or reliance upon the information and recommendations.

The user assumes all risks and responsibility for and shall be liable for the use of and any reliance on the information and recommendations and the results thereof and any loss or damage resulting therefrom.

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