In spite of annual mass vaccination programs with polyvalent inactivated vaccines, the incidence and economic impact of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Egypt is high. Viruses of the A, O and SAT 2 serotypes are endemic and repeated incursions of new lineages from other countries lead to an unstable situation that makes the selection of appropriate vaccine antigens very difficult. In this study, whole genome sequencing of a 2016 serotype A isolate from Egypt revealed a recombination event with an African serotype O virus. Based on available vaccine matching data, none of the vaccines currently used in Egypt are expected to sufficiently protect against this virus or other viruses of this lineage (A/AFRICA/G-IV) circulating there since 2012. In addition to the risk of vaccine failure caused by strain mismatch, the production of inactivated FMD vaccines is dangerous if adequate biosafety cannot be maintained. Using a high-throughput sequencing protocol optimized for short nucleic acid fragments, the composition of a local inactivated vaccine was analyzed in depth. The serotype O strain identified in the vaccine was genetically identical to viruses found in recent FMD outbreaks in Egypt.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPRs) is a transboundary, highly contagious, notifiable, viral disease of small ruminants. In recognition of its global threat and socioeconomic impact, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have targeted PPR for eradication by 2030, accelerating the need for robust diagnostic, surveillance, and vaccination strategies. This review synthesizes global efforts toward PPR eradication, with a particular focus on diagnostic efficacy, vaccination coverage, and the persistent challenges that hinder progress. It also addresses concerns raised in the 2024 WOAH/FAO technical review regarding potential unintended consequences of eradication—namely, the ecological niche left by rinderpest and PPR that may allow the emergence or spread of other morbilliviruses. A literature search was conducted using peer-reviewed articles (2015–2025) and recent FAO/WOAH reports. Key gaps were identified in vaccine deployment, Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals capability, and field diagnostics in addition to the potential unintended consequences of eradication. Finally, we advocate for the integration of predictive modeling to assess the risk of disease reintroduction and host spillover and for embedding these insights into future eradication policies.

Peste des petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting mainly goats, sheep and wild ruminants and considered as a major obstacle in small ruminants production. Four migratory flocks of sheep and goats in Giza governorate (Moatamadia village, Zenien, Saft El-Labn and Kafrberak El-Khiam) and 5 sheep admitted to the clinic of faculty of veterinary medicine, Cairo University were suspected to be affected with PPR based on field diagnosis (case history, clinical and Post mortem (P.M.) examination) during the period from October 2014 to November 2014. A total number of 40 samples (21 buffy coats, 18 nasal swabs and one spleen tissue) were obtained from affected animals for confirmation of this suspicion by virus isolation on Vero cells and RT-PCR using primers directed to the highly conserved sequence in nucleoprotein gene of PPRV. The total number of samples which gave positive results were 15 and 37 samples by virus isolation (VI) and RT-PCR, respectively. These results confirmed that the causative agent of these case series was PPRV. Also, it was hypothesized that the disease is endemic in Egypt with regular flourishment in the period around Al-Adha festival and this hypothesis required further analysis.

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is an economically devastating transboundary viral disease of small ruminants across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Despite effective live attenuated vaccines and the FAO/WOAH global eradication campaign targeting 2030, recurrent outbreaks persist, particularly among young goats. A major underrecognized obstacle is maternal antibody (MA) interference in goat kids, which compromises early-life vaccination and creates hidden immunity gaps within vaccinated herds. Maternal antibodies, acquired exclusively via colostrum, provide temporary passive protection but can neutralize vaccine virus and reduce effective seroconversion. This creates a critical “window of susceptibility” (typically 2–5 months of age) during which goat kids are neither protected against field infection nor responsive to vaccination. Reported estimates vary from approximately 70–100 days to detectability for up to 6 months, depending on the endpoint, assay, and study population. Conventional serosurveillance overestimates herd immunity because seropositive goat kids with residual MAs are falsely classified as protected. Fixed-age mass vaccination campaigns thus fail to achieve effective immunity in the most vulnerable age group. Strategies to overcome MA interference include delayed primary vaccination, booster schedules, targeted immunization, intranasal vaccination, and recombinant vaccines. Major barriers include poor farmer awareness, inadequate cold-chain infrastructure, and transboundary animal movement. Rapid farm turnover represents a separate operational barrier that further complicates vaccination timing. Achieving PPR eradication by 2030 requires a paradigm shift toward age-specific immunity in goat kids. Age-stratified protocols, farmer education, standardized diagnostic thresholds, rapid pen-side MA tests, and longitudinal studies in underrepresented regions including Pakistan are urgently needed.

The extreme population growth in developing countries, including Egypt, requires increased and alternative sources of animal proteins. Quails are excellent source. Newcastle disease (ND) causes substantial economic losses and represents perpetual threat to poultry species in Egypt and all over the world. limited data indicates the clinico-pathological features of NDV infection in quails as compared to conventional poultry species. To our knowledge, this work is one of the first studies illustrating the isolation and identification of ND from naturally infected quail farms. Isolation of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was done using SPF-ECEs for three successive passages via allantoic cavity at 10-days old, while molecular identification was done first by real-time PCR to exclude H5 and H9, then conventional PCR targeting NDV was done. Pathogenicity of one selected isolate was done using ICPI and MDT. Two allantoic fluids out of eleven fluids were positive for avian influenza H5 subtype by real-time PCR, while all allantoic fluids were negative for H9 influenza virus.Allantoic fluids examined by conventional PCR showed five positive samples for NDV targeting the F gene. Pathogenicity indices (intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) and mean death time (MDT) were 1.25 and 77, respectively, indicating that the tested isolate is mesogenic in pathogenicity.