The virus that causes sheep & goat pox (SGP) is highly contagious and is spread through direct contact with infected animals, or materials such as food or litter. The disease is found in most of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and infected animals usually develop a fever before developing the skin lesions that characterize the disease.
There is no treatment for SGP, but vaccines are available. The severity of the disease depends on the strain of the virus and the condition of the infected animals. SGP does not appear to infect humans.