[Federal Register: June 18, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 117)]
[Notices]
[Page 36566-36567]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jn03-69]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
RIN 0920-AA03
Control of Communicable Diseases
AGENCIES: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS).
ACTION: Notice of embargo and prohibition on transportation or offering
for transportation in interstate commerce, or sale, offering for sale,
or offering for any other type of commercial or public distribution,
including release into the environment, of certain rodents and Prairie
dogs.
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SUMMARY: Shipments of rodents (order Rodentia) from Africa capable of
transmitting monkeypox virus in humans are being imported into the
United States and further distributed. In the United States, Prairie
dogs (Cynomys sp.) and certain rodents from Africa may further transmit
the monkeypox virus in humans.
Because of the public health threat posed by the importation of
rodents from Africa, CDC is implementing an immediate embargo on the
importation of all rodents (order Rodentia) from Africa until further
notice. In addition, as a public health measure, CDC and FDA are
prohibiting, until further notice, the transportation or offering for
transportation in interstate commerce, or the sale or offering for
sale, or offering for any other type of commercial or public
distribution, including release into the environment, of Prairie dogs
and the following rodents from Africa: Tree squirrels (Heliosciurus
sp.); Rope squirrels (Funisciurus sp.); Dormices (Graphiurus sp.);
Gambian Giant Pouched Rats (Cricetomys sp.); Brush-tailed porcupines
(Atherurus sp.), Striped mice (Hybomys sp.).
This prohibition does not apply to individuals who transport listed
animals to veterinarians or animal control officials or other entities
pursuant to guidance or instructions issued by Federal, State, or local
government authorities.
This action is being taken because at least six different species
of potentially infected rodents have been implicated in the current
outbreak of monkeypox virus in humans. Monkeypox virus was also
subsequently transmitted from infected rodents to native Prairie dogs.
Based on epidemiologic and scientific knowledge gathered to date,
specific interstate restrictions on the species within these genera are
required to contain further movement of implicated animals. A ban on
the intrastate sale or offering for sale or offering for any other type
of commercial or public distribution of the species within these genera
is also necessary because of the potential impact on interstate disease
spread. Furthermore, a ban on the importation of shipments of all
rodents from Africa is necessary to mitigate the harm of further
introductions of monkeypox virus into the United States.
DATES: This embargo and prohibition is effective on June 11, 2003, and
will remain in effect until further notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Demarcus, National Center
for Infectious Diseases (E03), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30333, 770-488-7100, or
Gloria Dunnavan, Division of Compliance, Office of Surveillance and
Compliance, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug
Administration, 7500 Standish Place (HFV-230), Rockville, MD 20855,
301-827-1168.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
As of June 10, a total of 50 persons with suspected monkeypox had
been reported from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and New Jersey.
Monkeypox had been confirmed by laboratory tests in four persons. Seven
of the people with suspected monkeypox had been hospitalized for their
illness; there have been no deaths related to the outbreak. The number
of cases and States involved in the outbreak will likely change as the
investigation continues.
Onset of illness among patients began in early May. All patients
reported direct or close contact with Prairie dogs, most of which were
sick. In May, the Prairie dogs were sold by a Milwaukee animal
distributor to two pet shops in the Milwaukee area and during a pet
``swap meet'' (pets for sale or exchange) in northern Wisconsin. The
Milwaukee animal distributor had obtained Prairie dogs and a Gambian
giant rat that was ill at the time from a northern Illinois animal
distributor. On the basis of preliminary findings from the trace-back
investigation of the Prairie dogs and the Gambian giant rat, it appears
that the source of the infection was a shipment of rodents from Africa,
which included six distinct species of rodents. It appears that the
primary route of transmission may be from infected rodents from Africa
to native Prairie dogs and then to humans as a result of close contact.
II. Public Health Risks
Monkeypox is a rare zoonotic viral disease that occurs primarily in
the rain forest countries of central and west Africa. Studies have
shown that rodents from Africa are capable of transmitting monkeypox
virus in humans. In humans, the illness produces a vesicular and
pustular rash similar to that of smallpox. Limited person-to-person
spread of infection has been reported in disease-endemic areas in
Africa; the incubation period is about 12 days. Case-fatality ratios in
Africa have ranged from 1 percent to 10 percent. It is likely the virus
entered the United States via imported rodent species from Africa.
Further transmission of the virus likely occurred in the storage and
handling of these imported rodents during sale and distribution within
the United States. This resulted in secondary transmission to domestic
Prairie dogs housed in the same animal-holding facility or pet shop.
III. Immediate Action
Introduction of exotic species, such as rodents from Africa, poses
a serious public health threat because of the potential of human
monkeypox virus infection. Transportation in interstate commerce or
sale or any other type of commercial or public distribution, including
release into the environment, of species of rodents linked to the
initial
[[Page 36567]]
infected shipment and Prairie dogs poses a serious public health threat
because of the potential for further spread of the monkeypox virus to
other species and humans.
The scope of this communicable disease problem is inherently and
necessarily an interstate problem that cannot be controlled by
individual state health authorities. Thus, the appropriate measures
taken by the health authorities of any state or possession are
insufficient to prevent the interstate spread of human monkeypox virus
infection. Accordingly, CDC and FDA, pursuant to 42 CFR 70.2 and 21 CFR
1240.30, are prohibiting, until further notice, the transportation or
offering for transportation in interstate commerce, or the sale,
offering for sale, or offering for any other type of commercial or
public distribution, including release into the environment, of Prairie
dogs and the following rodents from Africa: Tree squirrels
(Heliosciurus sp.); Rope squirrels (Funisciurus sp.); Dormices
(Graphiurus sp.); Gambian Giant Pouched Rats (Cricetomys sp.); Brush-
tailed porcupines (Atherurus sp.), Striped mice (Hybomys sp.).
This prohibition does not apply to individuals who transport listed
animals to veterinarians or animal control officials or other entities
pursuant to guidance or instructions issued by Federal, State, or local
government authorities. In addition, pursuant to 42 CFR 71.32(b), CDC
is implementing an immediate embargo on the importation of all rodents
from Africa (order Rodentia).
Dated: June 12, 2003.
Julie Louise Gerberding,
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dated: June 12, 2003.
Mark B. McClellan,
Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
[FR Doc. 03-15423 Filed 6-13-03; 5:07 pm]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P