The Riderpest virus, more commonly known as the Rinderpest virus, is a highly contagious virus that primarily affects cattle, buffaloes, yaks, and other even-toed ungulates. It belongs to the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae, closely related to the viruses that cause measles in humans and canine distemper in dogs.Key points about the Rinderpest virus and disease:It is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus producing enveloped virions.The virus is fragile and easily inactivated by heat, sunlight, drying, and disinfectants.The disease caused by this virus is acute and often fatal, characterized by fever, loss of appetite, discharges from eyes and nose, erosive lesions in the mouth and genital tract, severe diarrhea, and dehydration.Morbidity and mortality rates in susceptible populations can approach 100%, especially in immunologically naive animals.Transmission occurs mainly through direct contact with infected animals and contaminated water, sometimes via airborne route.After a 3-15 day incubation period, symptoms rapidly develop and affected animals usually die within 8-12 days following symptom onset.Rinderpest was a devastating animal disease historically but has been globally eradicated, with the last case reported in 2001. It was the second viral disease to be eradicated worldwide, after smallpox in humans.