article Empirical and model-based evidence for a negligible role of cattle in peste des petits ruminants virus transmission and eradication Animals; Peste-des-Petits-Ruminants transmission virology epidemiology; Cattle; Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus immunology physiology; Goats virology; Goat Diseases virology transmission; Cattle diseases transmission virology epidemiology; Disease eradication methods eng doi:10.1038/s42003-024-06619-2 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3531 Herzog, Catherine M. (Pennsylvania State University) Kapur, Vivek (Pennsylvania State University) Hudson, Peter J. (Pennsylvania State University) Cattadori, Isabella M. (Pennsylvania State University) Peters, Andrew R. (University of Edinburgh) Bailey, Dalan (The Pirbright Institute) Cleaveland, Sarah (University of Glasgow) Willett, Brian J. (University of Glasgow) Schulz, Claudia (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna) Kidane, Menbere (Animal Health Institute) Mohammed, Abde Aliy (Animal Health Institute) Belaineh, Redeat (Animal Health Institute) Baron, Michael D. (The Pirbright Institute) Shegu, Dereje (Animal Health Institute) Aklilu, Fasil (Animal Health Institute ) Sibhatu, Demeke (Animal Health Institute) Bjørnstad, Ottar N. (Pennsylvania State University) Juleff, Nick (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) Gebre, Solomon (Animal Health Institute) Chibssa, Tesfaye Rufael (Animal Health Institute) Forza, Mesfin Sahle (Animal Health Institute) Buza, Joram (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology) Asgedom, Hagos (Animal Health Institute) Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is a multi-host pathogen with sheep and goats as main hosts. To investigate the role of cattle in the epidemiology of PPR, we simulated conditions similar to East African zero-grazing husbandry practices in a series of trials with local Zebu cattle (Bos taurus indicus) co-housed with goats (Capra aegagrus hircus). Furthermore, we developed a mathematical model to assess the impact of PPRV-transmission from cattle to goats. Of the 32 cattle intranasally infected with the locally endemic lineage IV strain PPRV/Ethiopia/Habru/2014 none transmitted PPRV to 32 co-housed goats. However, these cattle or cattle co-housed with PPRV-infected goats seroconverted. The results confirm previous studies that cattle currently play a negligible role in PPRV-transmission and small ruminant vaccination is sufficient for eradication. However, the possible emergence of PPRV strains more virulent for cattle may impact eradication. Therefore, continued monitoring of PPRV circulation and evolution is recommended. 2024 CC BY 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Communications Biology 7(1) (2024) Nature Portfolio application/pdf