scientists at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (ivri) in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, have developed the country's first vaccine against the notorious peste des petits ruminants (ppr) disease that afflicts sheep and goats. Also known as sheep and goat plague, ppr epidemics occur every year in India, causing an annual loss of about Rs 180 crore. The disease causes death in more than half the animals affected due to high fever, pneumonia, diarrhoea and dehydration.

The vaccine costs Rs 2 per dosage, has a shelf life of more than one year at 4