A highly contagious respiratory disease affecting cows and other similar ruminants, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is experiencing resurgence, re-emerging in African countries that had been free of the disease. With a long incubation period (from three weeks to six months), CBPP infections can be mild of severe, and can kill up to 80 per cent of animals that are infected.
CBPP can be difficult to distinguish from other respiratory diseases. The disease is controlled by quarantines and slaughter of animals that are infected or have come into contact with the disease. Vaccines are also available and have helped to control the disease in endemic areas. People are not susceptible to the disease.