The animal story

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Abstract
Rinderpest is (was is possibly more accurate) an ancient disease of cattle, believed to have been the origin of human measles,1 caused by an epitheliotropic and lymphotropic morbillivirus. Characterised by high fever, ocular and nasal discharges, dysentery, and dehydration it can cause death in up to 100% of cattle, water buffaloes, and yaks. Many wild ungulates are also highly susceptible, but not humans. Not surprisingly, it was the dread of farmers throughout the European, Asian, and African continents for centuries, even millennia. Sweeping west, east, and south out of central Asia, this devastating disease changed the course of history, following in the wake of marauding armies bringing death and devastation that contributed to the fall of the Roman empire, the conquest of Europe by Charlemagne, the French revolution, the impoverishment of Russia, and the colonisation of Africa.2 Having been defeated in Europe by 1928, it was the subject of intensive eradication effort in Africa and Asia for most of the last century, yet not until 1993 was a programme mounted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations to bring about global eradication. The eradication programme aimed to provide coordination of autonomous, regional campaigns rather than being a centrally managed campaign. Twelve years later, in 2005, we are conceivably very close to the goal, with growing confidence that almost the whole world is now free; suspicion persists only for some pastoralist communities of the Horn of Africa, even though the virus has not been detected for four years.3
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