Heat-tolerant vaccine offers new hope to eradicate deadly goat plague from Africa by 2030

MALI – A groundbreaking heat-tolerant vaccine developed through international collaboration is offering renewed hope of eliminating Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), commonly known as goat plague, from Africa by 2030, a disease that devastates millions of rural livelihoods each year.

The vaccine, named OvipestePlus, is the result of a partnership between the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), part of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR), Mali’s Central Veterinary Laboratory (LCV), and India’s Hester Biosciences Limited. 

Designed to withstand high temperatures and harsh field conditions, it is being rolled out in Mali, one of the regions hardest hit by PPR.

“Vaccines remain the gold standard—the most durable and cost-effective instrument—for ensuring animal health,” ILRI stated. “Just one vaccine injection provides small ruminants with lifetime immunity to PPR.”

PPR is a highly contagious viral disease that affects goats and sheep, especially in low-income rural communities where animals are central to food security and income. 

The disease causes over US$2 billion in global losses annually, with one-third of that in Africa. Mali, where one-third of West Africa’s small ruminants are raised, has been particularly affected.

The OvipestePlus vaccine brings a major technical advancement. Unlike the current PPR vaccine, which degrades within an hour of being mixed with water and fails in high temperatures, OvipestePlus retains its potency for up to 9 days at 32.5°C to 38.5°C, 7 days at 40°C, and for 5 hours after reconstitution. 

This makes it ideal for deployment in Mali, where high temperatures and limited cold chain infrastructure have hampered previous vaccination efforts.

Recent trials have shown a 99% efficacy rate, and the vaccine has received validation from the African Union’s Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (PANVAC), paving the way for large-scale use.

“With Mali’s hot and rising temperatures and generally poor infrastructure, the validated thermotolerant PPR vaccine OvipestePlus shows technical superiority over the current thermolabile PPR vaccine,” said ILRI.

The urgency of deploying this vaccine is reinforced by the Pan African Programme for the Eradication of PPR and Control of Other Small Ruminant Diseases, launched earlier this year. The program aims to eradicate PPR from Africa within the next five years.

Backing this effort are key global institutions. The European Union has increased its support to the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and PANVAC. 

In addition, the World Bank has committed significant funding to support PPR vaccination in Sahelian countries, underlining international consensus on the importance of tackling this disease now.

The benefits of eliminating PPR go far beyond animal health. Healthier goats and sheep translate to improved nutrition, income, and resilience for poor communities, especially women, who often manage small ruminant herds.

“Scaling up deployment of the thermotolerant vaccine in Mali will serve as a ‘force multiplier,’ amplifying a wealth of tangible benefits stemming from healthy and productive stock,” ILRI emphasised.

This coordinated initiative represents what experts are calling a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rid Africa of one of its most economically devastating livestock diseases.

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