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Conference Summary
Symposium on Infectious Diseases
of Animals and Quarantine
Masao Kamiya,* Hong K. Ooi,†
and Yuzaburo Oku‡
*Rakuno-Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Japan; †National Chung Hsing University,
Taichung, Taiwan; and ‡Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Suggested
citation for this article
Japan–Taiwan Symposium on Infectious Diseases of Animals and Quarantine
Sapporo, Japan
October 20–21, 2004
The Japan–Taiwan Symposium on Infectious Diseases of Animals and Quarantine,
sponsored by the Japan Interchange Association, was held October 20–21,
2004, at the Sapporo Convention Center. The symposium focused mainly on
human health and food safety. Issues that were discussed included 1) infectious
diseases of animals that caused economic loss, and those diseases that
threaten the health of companion animals, 2) infectious diseases that
are transmitted from animals to humans, 3) emerging infectious diseases
that have been reported recently in world news, such as bovine spongiform
encephalomyopathy and avian influenza, and 4) animal quarantine measures
to prevent the spread of the aforementioned diseases. Challenges posed
by infectious diseases of animals that were faced in the past, are being
faced now, and will be faced in the future were highlighted in the 3 plenary
lectures.
The first plenary lecture described how Japan struggled to control rabies,
Japanese encephalitis, Korean hemorrhagic fever, anthrax, and other zoonoses
after the Second World War (1941–1945) when poverty and poor sanitary
conditions were common in Japanese. The second plenary lecture reported
on the economic loss to the pig industry in Taiwan brought about by diseases
such as foot and mouth disease and circovirus infection. Also described
were the efforts of Taiwanese public health officials to control the epizootic
diseases through the strategic use of vaccine.The third plenary lecture
described our responses to a variety of risks and focused on the necessity
of risk management by an ideologically mature society when it is challenged.
The need to integrate diverse expertise was reiterated and examples of
collaboration with mass media to solve problems were presented.
Speakers reported on the recent outbreaks of avian influenza in Yamaguchi,
Oita, and Kyoto; the crisis control measures being implemented to curb
the spread of the disease; and Dr. S. Y. Lin, Bureau of Animal and Plant
Health Inspection and Quarantine, Taiwan, and finding and eradicating
the H5N2 subtype of avian influenza virus in Taiwan. The pathogenic H5N1
avian influenza virus was found in 6 ducks in the Taiwan Sea straits.
The ducks had been thrown overboard by smugglers on a boat from mainland
China who were being pursued by the coast guards at Kinmen Prefecture.
This occurrence illustrates that infectious diseases know no national
boundary and underscores the need for a global surveillance system to
prevent the spread of the virus.
One session detailed how an echinococcosis transmission was interrupted
and monitored. Praziquantel-laced bait was distributed to wild foxes in
Hokkaido in a mass deworming program attempting to interrupt the transmission
cycle; the efficacy of the program was monitored by using the worm coporantigen
detection method. This method did not disrupt the movement or eco-hierarchy
of the red fox population and was sustainable in its efficacy. The drug-laced
bait was produced by using marine waste products. Prevalence of echinococcosis
in the red foxes in Hokkaido was reduced by using this method (1,2).
This method was also successful in reducing the prevalence of the cestode
infection in Zurich, Switzerland (3). Knowledge of being
protected against infection will instill a sense of safety among the inhabitants,
which in turn will lead to increased agricultural activities, as well
as developing tourism industry in the region.
The control policy against echinococcosis was presented, as was the manditory
reporting of infection in dogs, which became part of a revised law that
became effective after October 1, 2004. This implementation is the first
of its kind in the world.
Also noted was that a mutual understanding and consensus must exist among
all parties concerned to effectively eradicate Echinococcus from
red foxes. The stakeholders in this case are the inhabitants of the area,
government officials, researchers, farmers, and tourist organizations.
Contemporary society is confronted with many forms of risk, including
infectious disease risks and risks that threaten our food safety, that
need urgent attention. This symposium brought researchers, government
officials, and members of the public from Taiwan and Japan together to
facilitate the bilateral regional exchange of information, with the understanding
that technology that is applicable to both regions can also be extrapolated
to the whole world. With the current pace of globalization, the concepts
demonstrated in this symposium can serve as worldwide models.
After the symposium, the Taiwan delegation was asked for a comment on
future development. The answer was that the symposium started on a bilateral
basis but the discussion should be expanded to include other neighboring
countries, such as Korea. Too strong a sense of nationalism may not protect
national interests or the wellbeing of a nation itself.
Regarding the control of infectious diseases in animals, the symposium
urged that research and development efforts tailored to specific needs
be conducted. Government authorities should not ignore problems and leave
them for future generations to solve. Professional organizations, such
as veterinary associations, should address the problems directly; scientific
societies should not limit their activities to meetings or congresses.
When these aspirations take shape, the world will have changed for the
better.
The abstract of
this symposium is published in Japanese and English and can be obtained
through a request to Kamiya Masao.
References
- Kamiya M, Nonaka N, Sumiya G, Oku Y. Effective countermeasures
against alveolar echinococcosis in red fox population of Hokkaido, Japan.
In: Paul Torgerson, Blok Shaikenov, editors. Echinococcosis in central
Asia: problems and solutions. Zurich: Dauir; 2004. p. 273–82.
- Tsukada H. Potential
remedy against Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes
using baits with anthelmintic distributed around fox breeding dens in
Hokkaido, Japan. Parasitology. 2002;125:119–29.
- Hegglin D, Ward PI, Deplazes P. Antihelmintic
baiting of foxes against urban contamination with Echinococcus multilocularis.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:1266–72.
Suggested citation
for this article:
Kamiya M, Ooi HK, Oku
Y. Symposium on infectious diseases of animals and quarantine [conference
summary]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2005 May [date
cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no05/04-1348.htm
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