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A. List A diseases

Foot and Mouth Disease

FMD in Kuwait, February 2002 --An outbreak of FMD occurred in late January/early February among Friesian cattle kept in an intensive dairy farm. Kuwait has endemic FMD and reported at least six outbreaks of FMD in 2001.

Source: OIE

FMD in Botswana, February 2002 --Two outbreaks of FMD virus type SAT 2 occurred in cattle in the Francistown district of Botswana. Botswana’s last case of FMD was in 1980. The outbreak was located within the zone that is recognized by the OIE as FMD free without vaccination and was near the border with Zimbabwe. The USDA however, had not recognized Botswana as free of FMD, and does not allow importation of relevant animals and animal products. Control measures employed in Botswana included destruction of cattle involved in the outbreak and creation of infected and surveillance zones. All cattle in the infected zone were vaccinated and clinical surveillance and sero-sampling were conducted in the surveillance zone.

Source: OIE, CEI Impact Worksheet

FMD in China (Hong Kong), February 2002 --The Chinese language Oriental Daily News was cited as reporting that some 12,000 pigs have died from a suspected outbreak of FMD at pig farms in Hong Kong. The assistant director of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department, Leslie Sim, was cited as saying that FMD was a common viral disease occurring in pigs across the region, including Hong Kong.

Source: Animal Network

Classical Swine Fever

CSF in Europe, January-March 2002 --In January, Spain reported at least 2 more outbreaks of CSF in Catalonia, in continuation of Spain’s CSF outbreak which began June 2001. Germany reported two outbreaks of CSF in late January/early February at fattening pig farms in the Bitburg district. These farms were close to two farms with CSF outbreaks last October, 2001. Wild boar are thought to be the cause of the outbreaks. Luxembourg reported outbreaks of CSF among wild boar in the eastern part of the country in late 2001, and then in February-March, 2002 four outbreaks of CSF among domestic pigs (breeding, fattening, and pre-fattening piglets) in eastern, southern and northern parts of the country were reported. Luxembourg’s last outbreak of CSF among domestic pigs was in 1987. In March, Slovenia reported the detection of antibodies against classical swine fever virus in three samples out of fourteen taken from wild boars during a monitoring program. Bulgaria reported an outbreak of CSF in March among fattening pigs. The source of the outbreak was reported to be non sterilized kitchen waste. On April 17, Bulgaria’s farm ministry reported CSF outbreaks in 12 of the country’s 28 regions, indicating that a major epidemic of CSF was occurring. In the last several years Bulgaria had experienced occasional limited CSF outbreaks.

Sources: OIE, Agworldwide, CEI Impact Worksheet

Other List A Disease Events

Bluetongue in Japan --In January, Japan reported that an outbreak of bluetongue had occurred in October-November, 2001 among nine sheep aged from six to eight months that were kept on the National Farm in Tochigi Prefecture. The sheep had shown clinical signs of dysphagia and five died. The OIE animal disease database Handistatus II indicates that during 1998, 1999, and 2000 there has been serological evidence and/or isolation of bluetongue in Japan, but no clinical signs of disease.

Source: OIE

Swine vesicular disease in Italy --Italy reported three outbreaks of swine vesicular disease during February-March in three different regions (Basilicata, Calabria, and Lazio). According to the OIE animal disease database Handistatus II, swine vesicular disease is endemic in Italy.

Source: OIE

Sheep pox in Morocco --In January, Morocco reported that seven outbreaks of sheep pox had occurred during December 2001. The last previously reported outbreak of sheep pox in Morocco was in April 1997.

Source: OIE

B. Other Disease Events Including List B Diseases

Avian Influenza in Hong Kong

During February-March, an outbreak of an H5N1 goose family strain of avian influenza occurred in Hong Kong among chickens. By late February, over 800,000 birds at more than 20 farms had been culled. Birds were also culled at live bird markets to control the spread of infection. The strain was not considered to be a threat to humans in its current form.

Sources: Agworldwide, Agam, Animal Network

Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) in Argentina

In February 2002, a stallion in Argentina (province of Buenos Aires) was confirmed as positive for EVA based on virus isolation from tissue culture. This is thought to be the first case of EVA in South America.

Source: OIE, Promed

Fish Disease Outbreaks

During February-March, 2002 there were 12 outbreaks of infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) in salmon in British Colombia, Canada waters. Fish in the outbreaks were depopulated. British Colombia, Canada also experienced an outbreak of viral hemorrhagic septicemia among Pacific sardines. In March, 2002, Austria reported an outbreak of IHN at a fish farm. Austria previously reported an outbreak of IHN in 2001.

Source: Animal Network, OIE

United States

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the US

During the first quarter of 2002, expansion of the geographic range of CWD in the US was detected. In March, the first cases of CWD found east of the Mississippi River were detected in wild deer in Wisconsin. In addition, the first cases found west of the continental divide were detected in wild deer in western Colorado, and the first case in wild deer in South Dakota was detected. Previously, CWD had been detected in wild deer and elk populations in northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming, and southwestern Nebraska, and in captive elk herds in Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Montana, and South Dakota.

In response to the detection of ten cases of CWD in Wisconsin, the State of Wisconsin has issued an emergency rule aimed at preventing the spread of the disease. The main provisions of the rule include: mandatory CWD testing of any deer or elk 16 months or older that go to slaughter or that die on farms if any part of the carcass leaves the farm, restrictions on imports of deer and elk from other states, enrollment in the state’s herd monitoring program before in-state movement is allowed, and quarantine and condemnation of captive herd(s) if there is a positive test.

Colorado began mandatory testing for CWD of all captive elk mortalities in 1998, with quarantine and testing of positive herds. This surveillance and disease control program resulted in the depopulation of about 1,500 elk on nine ranches in eastern Colorado during the fall and winter of 2001 and the detection of about 30 CWD cases. Colorado recently announced plans to shoot free-roaming deer and elk found within a five mile radius of the diseased wild deer which were recently detected in western Colorado. In February 2002, the USDA announced an interim rule and called for public comment on animal health regulations which would provide indemnity payments for the voluntary depopulation of captive cervid herds infected with CWD. Following talks between State of Colorado officials, USDA, and Colorado elk ranchers, an indemnity agreement was reached whereby elk ranchers in CWD endemic areas can choose to close down their elk farms permanently in return for indemnity payments.

Sources: Agworldwide, Colorado Department of Agriculture Press Release, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Press Release, Promed, APHIS,VS CWD Factsheet, APHIS Press Release (Feb. 7, 2002), Associated Press, Reuters, Animal Network)

Low pathogenic avian influenza (low path AI) in the US

In February 2002, low path AI was detected in Maine in a flock of about 2,800 ducks, pheasants and geese. The flock was tested as a result of trace backs from a live bird market in Boston. The farm was depopulated. Pennsylvania has not reported an outbreak of low path AI during the first quarter of 2002, however in December 2001, low path AI H7N2 was detected in two Pennsylvania broiler flocks. Surveillance of poultry flocks within a 10-mile area of the infected flocks revealed an additional two infected flocks and five suspect flocks. All infected and suspect flocks were depopulated.

In mid-March, low pathogenic avian influenza was found on a turkey farm in Virginia. By mid-April, the disease had spread to at least 79 flocks in five counties, with more than 1.5 million turkeys and chickens destroyed in disease control efforts. In Virginia to date, mostly turkey flocks have been affected, with only a few chicken flocks and no egg-laying flocks affected. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has implemented mandatory pre-slaughter testing on all breeder birds, commercial turkeys and broilers, and mandatory testing of any flocks with respiratory symptoms. Farms with flocks which test positive for the disease are quarantined and required by the VDACS to depopulate. APHIS, VS has been assisting the state of Virginia with the outbreaks by providing advisory assistance, assisting in tracebacks from infected flocks, providing laboratory assistance on the final diagnostic typing of the virus isolates, and handling the international trade consequences through discussions with US trading partners.

The virus type in the Virginia outbreaks is H7N2 low path AI. Sequencing of virus isolates and chicken pathogenicity tests have been conducted. Based on sequence analysis, the virus is similar but not identical to H7N2 viruses that have been isolated in the live-bird markets since 1994. It is thought unlikely therefore, that the virus came from wild birds.

Sources: Promed, VA Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services News Release and Website, Animal Network, Washington Times, Grand Forks Herald, Maine Department of Agriculture website, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture website

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