Summary of Selected Disease Events

January – March 2005

     I.      OIE Listed Diseases

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, subtype H5N1 in Asia

Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia continued to report outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 (HPAI) in poultry in the first quarter of 2005. 

As of April 4, 2005, 79 cases including 49 human deaths, due to infection with HPAI virus, have been confirmed in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.  See table below for more details.

Confirmed Human cases of H5N1

January 28, 2004 – April 4, 2005

In April 2005, Indonesia, using throat swabs and blood samples, discovered the HPAI virus in a pig in east Java.  Previously, Vietnam reported HPAI virus in one pig while China reported two infected pigs.  None of the pigs showed clinical signs of the disease.

Vietnam announced that it found HPAI virus in 71 percent of farmed ducks in the Mekong Delta.  Ducks appear to harbor the virus without showing clinical signs. 

Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) have not reported any new outbreaks of HPAI in poultry for the period January through March 2005.

Source: Global News Wire, OIE, Lexis/Nexis AgenceFrance Presse, World Health Organization

For information on H5 avian influenza in Asia, please see

¨      Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm

¨      World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) at www.oie.int/eng/AVIAN_INFLUENZA/home.htm http://www.oie.int/eng/info/hebdo/a_isum.htm

¨      World Health Organization (WHO) at www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/

¨      Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/special_avian.html

      http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/avian_update.html

 

Avian influenza, subtype H7 in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

On March 27, 2005, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) announced an outbreak of avian influenza subtype H7 in commercial poultry operations.  The outbreak involved three farms in the Pyongyang region with over 218,000 birds destroyed.  North Korea has already vaccinated over one million birds.  No human cases of avian influenza subtype H7 have been reported.

Control measures include control of arthropods and wildlife reservoirs, partial stamping out, quarantining of the farms, controlling movement, screening, vaccinating, and disinfecting of infected premises.

For additional information, please see the Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) Impact Worksheet (Short Report) on avian influenza in North Korea at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.

Source: CEI impact worksheet, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

 

Exotic Newcastle Disease in Greece

Greece continued to report occurrences of exotic Newcastle disease (END) in broiler chickens in the first quarter of 2005.  The most recent occurrence happened in the village of Leventochori in northern Greece on March 8, 2005.  Control measures include stamping out, zoning, disinfection, and vaccinating birds on the surrounding farms.

At the end of 2004, Greek authorities reported an outbreak of END in the Arkadhia section of Greece.  More information about this outbreak can be found in the Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) Impact Worksheet on END in Greece and the Summary of Selected Disease Events 10/04 – 12/04 at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.

Source: CEI impact worksheet, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), European Commission

 

 

Foot and Mouth Disease, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China

On March 23, 2005, the OIE reported a single outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus serotype Asia 1 in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.  Sixteen cattle with clinical lesions of FMD, from a Sheung Shi slaughterhouse in New Territories, Hong Kong, were identified on March 9, 2005.  Serotype O is endemic in Hong Kong, but this is the first official report of serotype Asia 1 in cattle in over 20 years.  There is only one farm with cattle in Hong Kong.

The distribution of FMD serotype Asia 1 is so far limited to Asia, including the Far East and the Middle East. 

FMD controls in Hong Kong rely primarily on vaccination against serotype O.  Other control measures include farm inspection, stringent farm hygiene, import control on livestock, and slaughter surveillance.

For additional information, please see the Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) Impact Worksheet (Short Report) on FMD in Hong Kong at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.

Source: CEI impact worksheet, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

 

Taura Syndrome Virus, Venezuela

On March 8, 2005, Venezuelan officials reported an outbreak of Taura syndrome (TS) in shrimp.  As of March 14, 2005, 26 outbreaks had been identified in three different states.  The states affected by the outbreaks are Zulia, Falcon and Nueva.  This is the first reported occurrence of TS in shrimp in Venezuela.  Control measures in Venezuela include within-country movement controls and zoning.

TS is caused by the Taura syndrome virus and has caused outbreaks in farmed shrimp in the Americas, Indonesia and China since first identified in Ecuador in 1992.  The last reported case of TS in the US was in June of 2004 in Texas.

Shrimp production in Venezuela accounted for less than 1 percent of world production in 2002.  In 2004, the US imported 16.3 thousand metric tons of cooked and frozen shrimp and shrimp products from Venezuela, which was a 63 percent increase from 2003. 

For additional information, please see the Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) Impact Worksheet on TS in Venezuela at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.

Source: CEI impact worksheet, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

 

White Spot Disease, Brazil

On January 20, 2005, Brazil reported an infection of cultivated Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) with white spot virus (WSV).  This is the first reported occurrence of WSV in Brazil.  White spot virus, also known as white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), causes a highly infectious disease of Penaeus spp. cultivated shrimp.  Natural infections also occur in other crustaceans including crabs, crawfish and lobsters.  The disease outbreak reportedly began on December 10, 2004 in Santa Catarina.

The US imported 8,909 metric tons of shrimp from Brazil in 2004, 59 percent less than the 21,798 metric tons imported in 2003.  The US also imported large quantities of rock lobster, and smaller amounts of crab and other crustaceans.  However, the US only imports cooked crustacean products from Brazil; cooking is an effective means of inactivating WSV.

Control measures in Brazil include emergency harvest, surveillance, official destruction of clinically diseased aquatic animals, decontamination of premises, and within-country movement controls.

For additional information, please see the Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) Impact Worksheet on WSD in Brazil at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.

Source: CEI impact worksheet, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease, Cuba

On January 21, 2005, the OIE received a report of an outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) in Havana City and Havana province of Cuba.  This is the first outbreak of RHD in Cuba since 2001.  As of December 28, 2004, animals affected totaled 14,450, with 2,362 deaths.  Cuba issued a disease alert, enhanced surveillance and banned movement of rabbits in and around the outbreak.

Cuba did not produce live rabbits or rabbit meat for export in 2003 or 2004.

For additional information, please see the Center for Emerging Issues (CEI) Impact Worksheet on RHD in Cuba at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.

Source: CEI impact worksheet, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

 

Contagious Equine Metritis in Great Britain

Great Britain confirmed a report of contagious equine metritis in a 9-year-old stallion in the Somerset area on March 31, 2005.  The horse was imported from mainland Europe six months prior to diagnosis.  The last time the horse was used for breeding was over one year ago.  Control measures include tracing all contact animals, breeding restrictions and quarantine.  Great Britain’s last reported case of equine metritis was in February 2003.

Source: World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

 

Equine Infectious Anemia in France

One case of equine infectious anemia was found at an equestrian center in the Barjouville district of France.  The horse was a 10-year-old mare.  The equestrian center was declared infected and all movements have been prohibited.  The last time France reported equine infectious anemia was in 2001.

Source: World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

II.      Other Significant Disease Events

Equine herpesvirus-1 infection in North America

In the first quarter of 2005, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan in the United States reported outbreaks of the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) infection.  The Nova Scotia province in Canada also reported an outbreak of the neurologic form of EHV-1 in early 2005.

Maryland: Four horses, which were later euthanatized, from the Columbia Horse Center in Columbia, MD experienced neurological signs from EHV-1.  Three other horses showed signs of mild neurological illness but have improved.  Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) quarantined the facility on March 25, 2005.  On April 11, 2005, the quarantine was extended for 21 days.  Facility managers canceled shows and lessons.  Personnel handling and caring for the horses are only working in that barn and are practicing strong sanitation and preventative protocols.  All of the horses had been vaccinated to help prevent the respiratory form of EHV prior to the outbreak; however, vaccines for EHV-1 may not protect against the neurologic form of the disease.

Michigan: Three horses at the Northville Downs racetrack in Michigan were euthanatized after officials confirmed an active neurologic form of EHV-1 infection.  Twelve horses in contact with the case horses were vaccinated against EHV-1 in December.  Control measures include quarantining of facilities housing horses, tracing, monitoring, disinfecting, and separating feed and water sources for horses in the restricted area.

New York:  In early March, three horses at a boarding facility in Tioga County, NY died or were euthanatized after being diagnosed with a combination of neurologic and respiratory forms of EHV-1 infection.  Three additional horses showing clinical signs have fully recovered.  Control measures for EHV-1 include control of movement and routine vaccination. 

Pennsylvania:  A mare at the Meadows racetrack in Pennsylvania had the neurological form of EHV-1 infection.  The horse was euthanatized on February 18, 2005.  Control measures at the Meadows racetrack included a 21-day quarantine, which has been lifted.

Canada:  In February 2005, in Nova Scotia, three horses were euthanatized due to the neurologic form of EHV-1.  Two horses were from the Truro Raceway in central Nova Scotia.  The third horse, which was previously exposed to one of the euthanatized horse from the Truro racetrack, was from a Nova Scotia breeding farm.  Authorities canceled at least one day of racing at Truro. 

Source: ProMED, the HORSE.com Article #5614, Maryland Department of Agriculture, New York Department of Agriculture, Michigan Department of Agriculture

This summary was produced in April 2005 by the Center for Emerging Issues, a part of USDA’s Veterinary Service.  This and other reports are available on the internet at: http:www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/index.htm.  Comments and questions concerning this edition may be addressed to Liz Williams at elizabeth.s.williams@aphis.usda.gov or 970-494-7329.