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A. List A diseases and BSE

Foot and mouth disease: South America

FMD in Brazil, May 2001 -- An outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle and sheep caused by FMD virus type A was confirmed in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grand do Sul near the border with Uruguay. Vaccination, which had ceased in Rio Grande do Sul in May 2000, was resumed in areas bordering Argentina and Uruguay. The "limited vaccination scheme" is not expected to compromise Brazil’s "OIE vaccine-free stamp" for the affected region. As of late May 2001, approximately five additional outbreaks in the same area were reported to OIE. Preceding the outbreaks mentioned here, Brazil’s last outbreak of FMD was identified in August 2000, also in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The virus in that outbreak was FMD virus type O.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report, ProMed

Foot and mouth disease: Europe

FMD in Kyrgyzstan, April 2001 -- Outbreaks of FMD involving cattle and sheep in three different districts in Kyrgyzstan were reported by the Director General of Veterinary Services. Virus type O194 was identified using serological tests and inoculation into rabbits and mice. The last outbreak of FMD was identified in February 1999. The source of the outbreak was infected animals that were purchased in cattle markets. The outbreaks are being controlled by quarantine, restrictions on the import and export of commodities, and vaccination in the affected zones and other zones that are at risk.

FMD in Kazakhstan, May 2001 -- Outbreaks of FMD involving cattle, sheep and swine in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan were reported by the Ministry of Agriculture. Virus type O1 was identified using serological and biological tests. The last outbreak of FMD was identified in June 2000. The source of the outbreak has not been determined. The outbreak is being controlled by quarantine, vaccination of susceptible animals, cleaning and disinfection of affected farms and incineration of carcasses.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report, ProMed

BSE

BSE in the Czech Republic, June 2001 -- The Czech Republic confirmed on June 8, 2001 the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a native-born cow. This is the first confirmed case of BSE in a native-born animal outside of western Europe. No additional cases had been reported to the OIE as of June 30, 2001. The source of the infectious agent is not yet known. The Czech government banned feeding all meat-and-bone meal to cattle in 1991. However, the Czech government has initiated an investigation to determine if the contamination could have occurred through feeding of imported milk feed substitutes in which milk fat was replaced by rendering-plant fat. As a result of the case, all susceptible animals in the herd were destroyed and the carcasses were tested. In addition, the Czech government extended BSE testing to all slaughtered bovine animals older than 30 months. In December 1997, the USDA, APHIS enacted regulations which prohibited the importation of live ruminants and ruminant meat from Europe, including the Czech Republic. These import restrictions also applied to bone meal, blood meal, meat meal, offal, fat, glands, and serum from ruminants. In December 2000, APHIS expanded its import restrictions regarding BSE by prohibiting all imports of rendered animal protein products, regardless of species, from Europe.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report; ProMED

Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza in Hong Kong, May 2001 -- On May 17, 2001 the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (SAR) reported that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) type A(H5N1) virus was detected in three retail live-bird markets. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department closed all three affected live-bird markets and destroyed all birds on affected premises. All wholesale and retail markets in Hong Kong that were selling chickens were closed, and the birds were destroyed. On May 21, 2001, additional steps to depopulate a total of approximately 1.2 million live birds on Hong Kong territory were taken as a precautionary measure to stop this outbreak. The cull was expected to cover 208 farms raising chickens, pigeons, and quail, although there was no indication that these farms were contaminated. To date the source of the avian influenza outbreak remains unknown. Importation of live birds from the Mainland China was terminated, and retail markets for live poultry were closed for at least 4 weeks (i.e., through 06/21/2001). The last outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Hong Kong was reported in December 1997. The current H5N1 virus strain differs genetically from the previous H5N1 virus responsible for disease in 1997 which also affected 15 humans. No human cases of influenza H5N1 virus have been detected at this time.

African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever in Benin, May 2001 -- An outbreak of African swine fever on several farms located in northwestern Benin was reported by the Director of Animal Production The source of the infection was animals that were imported from a neighboring country. The last reported outbreak of ASF in Benin was in February 2000. Likewise, the source of the outbreak in year 2000 was importation of infected animals from a neighboring country. The outbreak was controlled by slaughter of animals in the affected zones, restricting movements of animals, and by conducting an educational campaign about ASF throughout the affected regions.

African Swine Fever in the Congo, April 2001 -- An outbreak of African swine fever in The Democratic Republic of the Congo was reported by the Director of Animal Production and Health Department. The source of the infection had not been confirmed at the time of the report, but several possibilities (e.g., imported semen from a European country) were being investigated. The outbreak was controlled by quarantine of affected premises and forward and backward tracing of the origin of animals on the affected premises.

African Swine Fever in Togo, June 2001 -- An outbreak of African swine fever in Togo was reported by the Director of Animal Production and Fisheries. The last reported outbreak of ASF in Togo was in April 1998. The source of the infection was animals that were imported from Dapaong. The outbreak was controlled by slaughter of animals in the affected zones and by restricting movements of animals.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

Classical Swine Fever

CSF in Germany, June 2001 -- The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry reported an outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF) in domestic breeding swine in the State of Lower Saxony. The last reported outbreak of CSF in the State of Lower Saxony was in July 2000. The source of the outbreak was undetermined, but wild boars were the suspected source. Control measures included slaughter of remaining animals, restriction of animal movements, and tracing of animal movements into and out of the affected premises.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

CSF in Spain, June 2001 -- Spain reported to the OIE on June 14, 2001 an outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF) on a farm located in Soses in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain. The last reported outbreak of CSF in Spain was in July 1998. After the initial outbreak, at least one additional outbreak was reported in the Catalunya region. Slaughter of animals on affected premises as well as on adjacent premises, and movement restrictions of live swine, embryos, and semen are being used to control this outbreak.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

Newcastle Disease

Newcastle Disease in Botswana, May 2001 -- The Ministry of Agriculture reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease in backyard poultry flocks in Botswana. The last reported outbreak of Newcastle disease in Botswana was in November 1999. The outbreak was controlled by restricting movement of birds and vaccination. The source of the outbreak has not been determined. The affected premises were quarantined. Other control measures include destruction of birds and ring vaccination of birds within the affected district.

Newcastle Disease in Brazil, June 2001 -- The Ministry of Agriculture in Brazil reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease in poultry in the State of Goi in Brazil. The last reported outbreak of Newcastle disease in Brazil was in July 2000. The source of the infection has not been determined. The outbreak was controlled by quarantine of affected premises, destruction of all poultry on affected premises, restriction of movements, and ring vaccination to be followed by a more widespread vaccination campaign.

Newcastle Disease in Japan, June 2001 -- The Director of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Tokyo, reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease on a quail farm and in three hobby flocks in the Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, respectively. The last reported outbreak of Newcastle disease in Japan was May 2000. There was no apparent epidemiological relationship between the two outbreaks. To control the spread of disease, all susceptible birds in the affected flocks were destroyed.

Newcastle Disease in Turkey, May 2001 -- A single outbreak of Newcastle disease in western Turkey was reported in June 2001 to the O.I.E. The last reported outbreak of Newcastle disease in Turkey was in July 1997. The June 2001 outbreak was controlled by slaughter of animals on the one affected premises.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

B. List B and other disease events

United Kingdom (Scotland)

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) of swine, June 2001 -- The first case of PMWS in Scotland was reported in June 2001. As many as 400 incidents have been reported in East Anglia and Yorkshire since January 2000. PMWS was described first in Canada in 1996, but apparently had been affecting herds since 1991. There is serologic evidence that the circovirus that has been causally associated with PMWS was in the UK as early as 1986 and has been in numerous other countries for decades. While the infection is highly prevalent, the disease is not as prevalent.

Source: ProMED mail

United States

Anthrax in Texas, summer 2001 -- Anthrax in deer was confirmed in southwest Texas, specifically Uvalde and Val Verde counties in June. By mid-July 2001, seven livestock ranches in Val Verde, Uvalde and Edwards had laboratory confirmed cases of anthrax. Private veterinary practitioners and ranchers in Real, Kinney and western Bandera counties also reported losses due to the disease. That many long-time ranchers in the area have experienced outbreaks previously suggests that anthrax in this area is enzootic. A "significant" white-tailed deer death loss was reported along in southeast Edwards and southwest Real counties.

Source: ProMED mail; Texas Animal Health Commission

Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome, May 2001 -- A ‘new’ syndrome (MRLS) among pregnant mares in central Kentucky was recognized during late April and early May 2001. Cases of MRLS were reported throughout Kentucky among all breeds of horses. Reports received from contiguous and other states north of Kentucky indicate MRLS also may have occurred in those areas. It is estimated that 5 percent of the 2001 Thoroughbred foal crop produced in Kentucky was lost, and approximately 20 percent of the foal crop for 2002 may have been lost. As of noon May 22, the total number of cases that had been submitted to the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDCC) was 529. The incidence of late fetal loss (LFL) and early fetal loss (EFL) has decreased since late May. While cyanide is a major focus of ongoing investigation of (MRLS), no definitive diagnosis as to the cause of the syndrome has yet been established by scientists at the Maxwell H.Gluck Equine Research Center. Parallel investigations of other possible causes of MRLS continue. These possible causes include mycotoxins, fungal endophytes, phytoestrogens and other chemicals.

Source: http://www.uky.edu/agriculture/VetScience/

(If you have questions about the content of this report, please contact R. A. Johnson at 970-490-7896.)

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