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A. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and List A diseases

BSE: Japan and Europe

BSE in Japan, September 2001-- On 22 September, Japan confirmed that a BSE test on a Japanese dairy cow was positive. The Veterinary Laboratory Agency in Weybridge, United Kingdom had confirmed the positive by histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. The cow was a five year-old Holstein with clinical signs. Source of the infection was still under investigation as of 28 September. Control measures included supervision of the affected premises; tracing of all animals that were kept with the infected cow; epidemiological investigation of the feed used on the farm for the possible source of infection; visit to all cattle farms in Japan for examination of cattle; visit to all feed mills to collect information on use of meat-and-bone meal and on measures taken to prevent cross-contamination, and to take and analyze feed samples.

In September 2001, the US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) imposed import restrictions on Japanese ruminants and ruminant products. These restrictions applied to prohibited product arriving in ports on or after 10 September 2001. USDA had already restricted importation of live ruminants and most ruminant products from Japan since March 2000 due to foot-and-mouth disease.

BSE in Greece, July 2001-- Greece reported its first case of BSE, discovered during routine slaughter surveillance, in a cow in northern Greece. Greek authorities evaluated history of the premises and the animal and conducted cohort tests, however, a hypothesis that the positive cow was an offspring of an imported cow remained unproven. A follow-up report from Greece indicated that authorities remained convinced that the positive animal had not been fed meat and bone meal.

In December 1997, APHIS prohibited importation of live ruminants and most ruminant products from all of Europe including Greece. In December 2000, APHIS expanded the import restrictions for BSE by prohibiting all imports of rendered animal protein products, regardless of species, from Europe.

BSE in Slovakia, September 2001-- On 12 October, Slovakia reported a confirmed diagnosis of BSE in a six year-old cow. Confirmation was by immunoblot conducted at the Research Laboratory for Viral Diseases of Animals, Tübingen, Germany. The Slovakian State Veterinary Institute had reported positive BSE results in the cow on 27 September, through routine surveillance for BSE on a slaughter line in Ziar nad Hronom district. Source of the agent was not yet known, and an investigation into feed used on the farm was in progress. Control measures included cohort cull and offspring cull; compulsory testing at slaughter of all bovine animals over 30 months old; ongoing ban on mechanically recovered meat from bones of bovine animals; and ongoing restrictions on removal, rendering, and use of specified risk materials.

In December 1997, APHIS prohibited the importation of live ruminants and most ruminant products from all of Europe including Slovakia. In December 2000, APHIS expanded the import restrictions for BSE by prohibiting all imports of rendered animal protein products, regardless of species, from Europe.

Sources: OIE Disease Information Report; ProMED; AgWorldwide; and APHIS press releases

Foot and Mouth Disease: Europe

FMD in United Kingdom, September 2001 --As of 30 September, the United Kingdom FMD outbreak that began February 2001 had reached a total of 2,030 cases. Numerous areas of England were still considered affected or restricted, however, no new cases were reported in any area of the UK from 30 September to 11 October 2001. Since the outbreak started, there have been 3,903,000 animals slaughtered.

Stringent measures taken to reduce risk of FMD entering the US have included prohibiting

shipments of products from high risk countries; increased surveillance of incoming passengers and cargo; enhanced monitoring and surveillance of domestic livestock; strengthening federal, state and industry coordination; implementing public education campaigns; and dispatching experts to the United Kingdom to assist in containment efforts.

Source: UK Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs

Foot and Mouth Disease: South America

FMD in Bolivia, August 2001 -- Thirty-one outbreaks of FMD occurred during August in Cochabamba, central Bolivia. In 2001, Bolivia has experienced at least 94 outbreaks of FMD types A and O in seven regions: Cochabamba, Beni, Potosi, Oruro, Tarija, La Paz, and Santa Cruz where most Bolivian stock is bred. The head of the Bolivian Farm and Agriculture National Service identified low vaccination coverage as the main factor behind the Cochabamba outbreaks. He said that only 40 percent of the regional herd had been vaccinated, compared with 80 percent nationally. As of 3 October 2001, Bolivian authorities had subsequently vaccinated a total of 255,000 animals in the Cochabamba region to achieve about 87 percent coverage.

Source: ProMed; and APHIS Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory

Foot and Mouth Disease: Asia and Africa

FMD in Central Asia, July and August 2001 -- Kyrgyzstan had an FMD outbreak, type not specified, among 13 cows in a resort city 106 miles from the capital city Bishkek. Kazahkstan

reported a new outbreak of FMD Type O in cattle in Akmola region after reporting that a Type O outbreak in Karaganda region was over. Azerbijan reported four outbreaks of FMD type Asia 1 in cattle in August. Source of infection was reported as "a neighboring country."

FMD in Turkey, July 2001 -- Turkey reported an outbreak of FMD type 0 affecting 50 goats in the Thrace region. Origin of the infection was not clarified, however, preliminary epidemiological results indicated that animal traders had visited the affected village several times. It was hypothesized that traders visited infected farms in the Anatolian part of Turkey, and then also visited the newly affected village. A total of 7,547 cattle and 7,020 sheep and goats in 12 villages around the outbreak were vaccinated with trivalent foot and mouth vaccine. No clinical signs were found in other susceptible animals kept in different herds within the village.

FMD in Malaysia, July 2001 -- Malaysia reported four FMD type O outbreaks in bovines and buffalo. Source of the infection was hypothesized to be smuggling of cheap infected cattle from a neighboring country.

FMD in Zimbabwe, August 2001 -- Zimbabwe reported 16 outbreaks of FMD type SAT 2 in bovine primarily in the southwest and south of the country in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. African buffalo were suspected to be the origin of infection. Laboratory results indicated virus type and strain similarity with previous isolates from Chirisa/Chizarira Safari areas isolated from wild buffalo probang samples. One AgWorldwide report indicated that disease transmission was possibly exacerbated when militants who had forcibly confiscated farms allowed quarantined animals to move.

Sources: OIE Disease Information Report, AgWorldwide, ProMed

Classical Swine Fever

CSF in Europe, June-August 2001 -- Spain reported at least 16 more outbreaks of CSF, all in fattening pigs, during July and August in continuation of Spain’s CSF outbreak that began June 2001. Germany reported another outbreak of CSF in breeding pigs on a premises in Spree-Neisse, Brandenburg Land, in August in continuation of its CSF outbreak that also began June 2001. Slovakia reported one CSF outbreak in fattening pigs in July. Since that outbreak, no further outbreaks in domestic pigs were reported and all internal restrictions were lifted. Ukraine reported CSF cases detected in wild boar in the forested zone of Trachtemirivskae regional landscape park. Disease control measures included quarantine, hunting of weak or sick animals, and vaccination of all domestic swine within a 3-km radius. Quarantine was lifted in the park on 21 August 2001, but restrictions and ongoing testing continued.

CSF in Cuba, July-August 2001 -- Cuba reported an additional 18 outbreaks in at least 10 provinces in a continuing CSF outbreak that was first reported in May 2001. Outbreaks in August included pigs that had been vaccinated in January 2001.

Sources: OIE Disease Information Report; Promed

Newcastle Disease

Newcastle Disease in Malaysia, August 2001 -- Malaysian authorities confirmed in August 2001 that Newcastle outbreaks began occurring there in August 2000. Control measures in 2001 have included vaccination of all poultry especially targeting backyard flocks.

Bluetongue

Bluetongue in Europe, August-September 2001 -- In August, France reported 15 bluetongue outbreaks in sheep flocks and mixed flocks in two departments on the island of Corsica: Corse-du-Sud Department (11 outbreaks in 7 districts), and Haute-Corse Department (4 outbreaks in 4 districts). There were 213 cases, including 147 deaths, as of 17 August. The affected population was comprised of unvaccinated animals. Culicoides imicola was identified as the vector. Control measures included quarantine and movement restrictions. In September, Bulgaria reported outbreaks of bluetongue virus in the western part of the country, and subsequently attributed the outbreaks to imported cattle from the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia and from Yugoslavia. In September, Italy reported 248 outbreaks of bluetongue affecting sheep, goats, and cattle in 9 provinces. As of 21 September, there were 2,667 ovine cases and 55 caprine cases.

Sources: OIE Disease Information Report; Animal Network list server

Rift Valley Fever

RVF in Zimbabwe, September 2001 -- Zimbabwe reported two RVF outbreaks involving eight positive animals in Manicaland province beef and dairy cattle. Infection on the two properties did not spread to other properties, and no new cases were found afterwards. The outbreaks came when they would be least expected, i.e., in the dry season. Zimbabwe had experienced heavy rains in the rainy season prior to the outbreak (which occurred two months after the end of the rains). The micro-environment on the affected premises may also have contributed. At the first farm, cattle were grazing in a poorly drained swampy area; at the second farm, the paddock was along a slow flowing stream. It was therefore suspected that biting fly activity remained high in those areas. Control of arthropods, quarantine, and vaccination were applied.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

B. Other Disease Events Including List B Diseases

United States

West Nile Virus, Calendar Year 2001 -- Through 15 October 2001, there have been 191 cases of clinical WNV infection detected in horses from 15 states. At least 40 (21 percent) of the 191 horses died or were euthanized. Numbers of equine deaths associated with WNV infection by state were: Connecticut, 3; Delaware, 1; Florida, 22; Georgia, 2; Louisiana, 1; Massachusetts, 1; Mississippi, 2; New Jersey, 4; New York, 2; Pennsylvania, 1; and Virginia, 1. Alabama, Kentucky, Maryland, and North Carolina had cases but no deaths through 15 October. Florida had cases in 21 counties; Connecticut had cases in 4 counties; Georgia and Pennsylvania had cases in 3 counties; and all other affected states had cases in 1 to 2 counties.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service conditionally licensed manufacture, distribution, and use of a West Nile killed virus vaccine for horses, beginning August 2001, to American Home Products, Inc. of Fort Dodge, Iowa. APHIS also issued results of a case-control study and spatial analysis conducted in seven eastern states with confirmed equine WNV cases in 2000. Results indicated that equine cases may be associated with proximity to blackbird roosts and waterfowl habitats.

Source: USDA-APHIS-VS Emergency Management Operations Center

Anthrax, July and August, 2001 -- Outbreaks of anthrax occurred in cattle, deer, and bison (and humans) in Texas, Minnesota, and South Dakota. In south Texas, where anthrax is endemic, hundreds of deer and several horses and cattle died from probable anthrax disease in what health officials described as the worst anthrax outbreak in two decades. The wet spring in South Texas probably triggered the outbreak. In Minnesota, a state official estimated on 1 August that 70 cows and bulls and two horses had died, with nine more confirmed anthrax cases in cattle. All cases appeared in northwest Minnesota, within 10 miles of Manitoba and on the same watershed drainage. This area had an anthrax outbreak in 2000. In South Dakota, the state veterinarian reported that the disease struck a buffalo ranch in Jerauld county, with positive anthrax confirmation occurring on 30 August. Deaths were 10 females and one bull from a 90-animal herd.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis, July-September, 2001 -- Florida reported in July more than 20 EEE cases in Holmes and Jackson counties, along the Georgia border west of Tallahassee, and another case in Santa Rosa County. Wisconsin also confirmed EEE; since early July, at least 21 horses in portions of Rusk, Barron, and Chippewa counties contracted the virus, and 12 or more died. Virginia had two horses test positive for EEE in August. Iowa had one horse test positive in August in Chickasaw County, northeast portion of the state. Minnesota's first-ever EEE case was confirmed in a horse from Blue Earth County in September.

Infectious Salmon Anemia, September 2001 --Discovery of several more infected fish in pens in Cobscook Bay, Maine, prompted state officials to impose emergency rules barring boats from leaving infected areas and requiring fish farmers to notify officials immediately when an infected fish was found. Cobscook Bay had been the site of seven of the eight ISA outbreaks in Maine from February to July 2001. The eighth Maine ISA outbreak, reported in May 2001, occurred at Booth Marine site, Lubec.

Viral Hemorrhagic Disease of Rabbits, August 2001 -- VDHR was confirmed on 17 August 2001 in a rabbitry in Utah County, Utah. As of 20 August, 65 of the approximately 750 rabbits on the premises had died. The remainder were depopulated. The premises were quarantined, and tracebacks identified 3 establishments in Utah, Montana and Illinois with contact to the affected premises, all of which were placed under quarantine. This was the second occurrence of VHDR in the US. The first outbreak occurred April 2000 in Iowa; that outbreak remained limited to one premises and the origin of infection was not determined.

Sources: ProMed; OIE Disease Information Report; and APHIS-Veterinary Services, Iowa

Canada

Anthrax, July 2001 -- In an anthrax outbreak in a Canadian national park in northern Alberta, 92 bison and one moose died. The outbreak ended in August.

Source: Animal Network list server

United Kingdom

Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome, September 2001 -- PMWS, which was first recognized in southwest England in 1999, spread to new regions of England in 2001. In 2000, the disease was confined to outdoor pig units in East Anglia, but in 2001 the disease was found at indoor units and spread as far north as Yorkshire and Humberside. Farmers and veterinarians reportedly expressed their belief that the surge could be related to the outbreak of classical swine fever in East Anglia last year. An unofficial ProMed report stated that about 60 percent of England’s producers have experienced high rates of pig mortality, and that government veterinarians were planning to survey private vets to establish the number of cases in 2001.

Source: ProMed

(If you have questions about the content of this report, please contact David Cummings at 970-490-7895.)

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