URUGUAY
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE REPORT
22nd March 2002
Background
On 23rd April 2001, a suspicion of FMD occurrence was reported. The Veterinary Services investigated and clinically confirmed the disease on 24th April 2001.
The official laboratory confirmed the diagnosis by serology, identifying antibodies against type A virus (VIAA and ELISA) on 25th April 2001.
The most probable hypothesis is that the virus was mechanically introduced from active outbreaks of the disease in the Republic of Argentine, in areas close to our border. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the virus type identified is the same in both cases and cattle and other species susceptible to FMD from Argentine have not been introduced into Uruguay.
The Departments of Soriano and Colonia have a mixed farming system, combining milk and meat production with intensive agriculture. This system involves intense movement of trucks, machinery and persons. This is an important factor contributing to viral spread (high contact rate and higher probabilities of massive mechanical spread). The investigation carried out suggests that the latter was a determinant factor in the spread of the disease.
This approach is further supported by the results of the particularly intense sero-epidemiological surveillance carried out in the area along the Rmo Uruguay during the immediate previous period, which confirmed that during the months of March and April 2001 there was absence of viral activity.
Actions
taken
- Immediate intervention, banning of animal movement and stamping out of the sick and in contact animal population susceptible to FMD, of affected farms within the outbreaks zone, was decided. It began on April 24th, 2001.
- Immediate and voluntary discontinuation of Export Certification as from April 24th, 2001 as well as discontinuation of slaughter and production for export.
- The ban on the movement and transit of animals was extended to all the country, on a national wide scale, as from April 27th, 2001, with the support, enforcement and back-up of the Police and Army due the powers and attributions of the DGSG. The response of the CCA (Competent Central Authority) was based on the National Animal Health Emergency Situation declared by Resolutions from the General Department of Livestock Services, and within the mandatory regulations provided by the Animal Health Legislation (Law N: 3,606, dated April 13th, 1910 and Law N: 16,082, dated October 4th, 1989).
- On April 27, the epizootics outspread outside the original areas. The sanitary authorities decided to implement alternative 2 of the Sanitary Contingency Plan, including stamping out of affected animals and their contacts within the focus, ring vaccination and anticipated mandatory slaughter of all vaccinated animals.
- Alternative 4 of the Contingency Plan was quickly implemented when FMD outbreaks were reported in other areas of the country. Alternative 4 includes discontinuation of stamping out and massive vaccination of the national cattle stock.
- The second round of massive emergency vaccination (re-vaccination) began on June 15th and was completed on July 22nd 2001 providing, due to its booster effect, an expected 99 to 100% effective protection. This helped consolidate the mass population protection.
- Sheep have always played a secondary role in the epidemiology of FMD in Uruguay and South America. According to the field evidence and performance of the types and strains present, there is no justification to practice massive vaccination in this species. A serological survey was carried out in this species, with results that range from 1.9% to VIAA, in animals within the focus, to 0.3% in animals outside the focal areas, evidencing the irrelevant role played by sheep in the FMD outbreak in Uruguay.
- Pigs are very important, due the well-known role of the species in viral multiplication, but, since response to vaccination is poor, massive vaccination was not applied.
Vaccination policy
- The first massive emergency vaccination, including all the cattle population on a national scale, began on 5th May 2001, at the border with Brazil, and proceeded from North to South and from East to West and was completed on June 7th, 2001.
- The second round of massive emergency vaccination (re-vaccination) began on June 15th and was completed on July 22nd 2001 providing, due to its booster effect, an expected 99 to 100% effective protection. This helped consolidate the mass population protection.
7
During November 2001, all calves
born during the year 2001 were vaccinated or re-vaccinated. This vaccination period finished on November
30th, 2001
7
The first massive cattle
vaccination of the year was carried out in February 2002. Information regarding this vaccination
appears in the next chapter of this report.
7
In May 2002, the second vaccination
round will be carried out, involving Uruguay's whole cattle stock.
7
On November 2002, all the animals
born during the year, until August, shall be vaccinated.
7
Meetings will be held with other
countries within the region, in order to establish future common eradication
programmes.
7
On the months of February, April,
September and October 2002, serological surveys were and will be carried out in
cattle and sheep.
Epidemiology (present situation)
The disease has extinguished in all 2057 affected holdings. The criterion is that no diseased animals are detected in the last 30 days. At this date there are no foci with viral activity.
The last focus of the disease was reported on 21st August 2001.
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OUTBREAK
EVOLUTION IN URUGUAY |
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|
24TH
APRIL 2001 TO 6TH FEBRUARY
2002 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
FOCI WITHOUT |
EXTINGUISHED |
FOCI |
|
|
FOCI |
AFFECT
ANIM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
More than 30 days |
Less
than 30 days |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6/02 |
6/02 |
6/02 |
6/02 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTIGAS |
49 |
49 |
49 |
0 |
|
CANELONES |
29 |
29 |
29 |
0 |
|
CERRO LARGO |
33 |
33 |
33 |
0 |
|
COLONIA |
379 |
379 |
379 |
0 |
|
DURAZNO |
94 |
94 |
94 |
0 |
|
FLORES |
73 |
73 |
73 |
0 |
|
FLORIDA |
121 |
121 |
121 |
0 |
|
LAVALLEJA |
29 |
29 |
29 |
0 |
|
MALDONADO |
12 |
12 |
12 |
0 |
|
MONTEVIDEO |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
PAYSANDU |
84 |
84 |
84 |
0 |
|
RIO NEGRO |
177 |
177 |
177 |
0 |
|
RIVERA |
20 |
20 |
20 |
0 |
|
ROCHA |
18 |
18 |
18 |
0 |
|
SALTO |
60 |
60 |
60 |
0 |
|
SAN JOSE |
81 |
81 |
81 |
0 |
|
SORIANO |
557 |
557 |
557 |
0 |
|
TACUAREMBO |
167 |
167 |
167 |
0 |
|
TREINTA Y TRES |
74 |
74 |
74 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
2057 |
2057 |
2057 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean attack rates of 5.00 % for cattle have been recorded on the direct contact and at risk populations (76,579 / 1,518.965) and 0.02 % for sheep (236/ 947,879) involved in the affected 2,057 farms affected and the surrounding areas.
The evolution of the outbreak is shown in the following graphics and provides clear evidence of the trend followed by the epizootic.
At present, we can assure that the disease has been controlled, the strategy applied has been successful, the vaccines used were appropriate and the emergency actions were positive. In fact, during the last 213 days, no new focus has been reported.
Seropidemiological
surveillance
Seroepidemiological
surveillance in FMD affected areas, carried out in August 2001 indicated that
infection in sheep was lower than originally expected (7,684 samples were
processed, with 206 VIAA positives, a prevalence of 2.7%).
These results indicate that the animals had been exposed to infection but the Uruguayan authorities considered that the low prevalence demonstrated that sheep did not play a role in the epidemic.
A complementary seroepidemiological study carried out in September 2001 in areas neighbouring FMD outbreaks, concluded that sheep did not play an important role in the maintenance and the spread of FMD, due to the low seroprevalence found (7,677 samples processed, of which 58 were VIA positive; prevalence 0.76%).
A serological
sampling of cattle was carried out in September 2001, with the aim of
estimating the protection level achieved with vaccination. The design of this sampling plan was based
on the fact that virus type O, from the October 200 outbreak was successfully
eradicated in December. It has,
therefore, been assumed that all antibodies to the O type virus would be due to
vaccination. On this assumption, the
tests carried out assessed O type antibody level, as the best means to measure
the number of successfully vaccinated animals.
2100 sera were analysed. The
results suggest that an estimated protection level of 99.6% was achieved.
During February
2002, a serological survey was carried out in
the bovine population. The general
objectives were to study the seroepidemiological situation in bovine and the
evolution of viral activity with regard to the results obtained in 2001.
Guarantee measures
In order to provide guarantees to foreign markets, the General Department of Livestock Services has enforced additional measures, taking into account the countrys new sanitary status, such as:
- Traceability
- Appropriate certification chain from farm to industrial plant, assuring the safe origin of the animals
- Adequate treatments of animal products in order to inactivate FMD virus (maturation, de-boning, heat treatment, etc.)
Markets situation
On Tuesday 9th October 2001, the Veterinary Committee of the European Union proposed to the Commission to grant authorisation to Uruguay to resume meat production (cattle, sheep and goats) for the European Union. The Commission issued Decision 2001/767/CE, dated 31 October 2001, authorising to resume production as from 1st November 2001. Other markets have also lifted their restrictions and resumed importation of meat and meat products from Uruguay, e.g., Israel, Egypt, Polony, Hungary, Chile, Mercosur countries and other Latin-American countries.
Report on the February 2002 vaccination
According to the FMD eradication strategy carried out in Uruguay, between 1st and 28th February 2002, the whole cattle stock was vaccinated.
As in previous cases, vaccination Control Routes were established and the farmers were assigned a date and time to apply the vaccine. Therefore, a direct control was carried out, as shown in the following table.
DIRECT VACCINATION CONTROL
FARMS 48.518
FARMS INSPECTED 15.571
VETERINARY CONTROL
(HOLDINGS) 1.338
TOTAL 16.909
34.8%
The percentage of farms with direct control during the vaccination period amounted to 34.8%.
By 15th February,
89.9% of all heads of cattle had already been vaccinated and direct control had
been carried out over 17% of holdings.
PERCENTAGE OF CATTLE INSPECTED
CATTLE
(AFFIDAVIT 2001) 10.598.034
CATTLE
INSPECTED 4.767.138
44.9 %
In order to carry out this control, the following vehicles were used and the kilometres mentioned were covered.
VEHMCLES USED.
MOTORCYCLES 119
PICK-UPS 64
TOTAL 183
KILOMETRES COVERED.
MOTORCYCLES 146.789
PICK-UPS 197.519
TOTAL 344.308
The following meetings were held to prepare the vaccination.
MEETING HELD
OFFICIAL
PERSONNEL 214
FARMERS 133
DEPARTMENTAL ANIMAL
HEALTH COMMISSIONS 27
SERVICE CO-ORDINATORS 80
TOTAL 454
Al the vaccine doses used since the beginning of the Vaccination Programme have been provided to the farmers by the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, free of cost.
During 2002, the following suspicious reports have been attended, with the corresponding diagnosis:
SUSPICIOUS CASES
ATTENDED