North Macedonia prepares against Peste des petits ruminants

A simulation exercise of an outbreak of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) concludes today in North Macedonia. It was organized by the Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA) of North Macedonia with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and experts from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of small ruminants affecting goats, sheep, camels, and wildlife. Symptoms in the affected animals are a high fever and depression accompanied by eye and nose discharges. Animals cannot eat, as the mouth becomes covered in painful lesions and the animals suffer from severe pneumonia and diarrhoea. Once introduced, the virus can infect up to 90 to 100 percent of the susceptible population. While mortality rates vary it can reach between 50 to 100 percent in severe cases. The PPR virus is closely related to the rinderpest virus, and while rinderpest was declared globally eradicated in 2011, work in controlling and ultimately eradicating this deadly disease eradication of PPR is on-going.

Peste des petits ruminants outbreaks in Europe, effecting Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Hungary highlight the need prevention and control of this disease. 

The Director of the Food and Veterinary Agency, Oliver Milanov, emphasized the importance of the simulation exercise for prevention and for assessing the effectiveness of the existing disease control system at the opening of the event. He noted that the disease has been present in the region and more broadly in Europe since last year, and that the FVA immediately raised the alarm to ensure a serious and coordinated approach to its prevention.

“So far, we have managed to jointly prevent the disease, which can very quickly and easily spread to our country – especially in the context of a dynamic economy at both European and global levels. We have confirmed exceptional, close, and professional cooperation with all actors involved in the system for preventing and controlling the outbreak and spread of Peste des petits ruminants – a category A disease that requires the implementation of the highest standards and protection measures,” said Milanov.

Speaking to the workshop, Eran Raizman, FAO Senior Animal Production Health Officer, said that “Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) represents one of the most economically threatening animal diseases for farmers who rely on small ruminants as their livelihood. This training strengthens awareness of the disease, provides knowledge on surveillance, early warning and reporting systems, and good biosecurity practices that are critical to prevent and combat it. Multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder partnerships and coordination are necessary to ensure the eradication of PPR.” 

Representatives from the Food and Veterinary Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, the Veterinary Chamber of North Macedonia, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Skopje, experts from the European Union, and members of the Association of Sheep Breeders "Modern Shepherd" participated in the three-day simulation exercise.

The first day focused on presentations on the disease, clinical signs, sampling, packaging, surveillance and stamping out. Participants also heard an overview of the experiences of affected countries in the region. 

The second day focused on a field visit to practice various procedures such as clinical examination, sampling and, notably, outbreak investigation as well as tasks related to culling disposal, cleaning and disinfection following an outbreak. The last day summarized the findings and recommendations on the preparedness, discussed psychological support for farmers and veterinarians during epidemics as well as sharing changes to the national contingency plan.

The value of these exercises extends far beyond identifying simply weaknesses in preparedness. They are also powerful methods for capacity building and providing opportunities for veterinary personnel to improve their skills. A similar exercise was conducted between 10 and 11 March 2025 with the support of FAO, in collaboration with the FVA, focusing on African swine fever, a lethal disease of pigs and wild boar present in the region.

Learn more:

Peste des Petits Ruminants Global Eradication Programme (PPR-GEP)

FAO PPR website

FAO Alert: European countries to enhance preparedness for combating Peste des petits ruminants

Media contact:

Radmila Slavkova

FAO National Communication and Monitoring Specialist

radmila.slavkova@fao.org