Published Date: 2017-04-25 17:32:04
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease - Algeria (07): (TO) bov, st A, new strain, spread susp
Archive Number: 20170425.4994420
FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - ALGERIA (07): (TIZI-OUZOU), BOVINE, SEROTYPE A, NEW STRAIN, SPREAD SUSPECTED
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Date: Mon 24 Apr 2017
Source: La Dépêche de Kabylie [in French, trans. Mod.AB, edited]
http://www.depechedekabylie.com/evenement/175443-alerte-a-la-fievre-aphteuse.html
A total of 3 suspected outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] were detected in the province of Tizi-Ouzou, yesterday [Sun 23 Apr 2017] by the veterinary inspection of the province's agricultural services. The outbreaks occurred in 3 private farms. The 1st farm is located in Nezla village, in the town of Timizart. "Veterinarians from the Tizi-Ouzou Veterinary Inspectorate and the Fréha Agricultural Subdivision have moved to Timizart where they have taken samples that have been transferred to the Draâ Ben Khedda laboratory," confirmed an authorized person. The 2nd outbreak was located in the Draâ El-Mizan area and the 3rd was reported in Aghrib.
"We have been monitoring and controlling farms and markets for more than a month," said Dr Kadour Karim, Chief of Veterinary Inspection. "When these 3 outbreaks were suspected of being associated with FMD, samples were immediately taken and sent to the Algiers laboratory for analysis. For the time being, we have not received the results yet, "he said.
As a preventive measure, the inspector pointed out that "the inspection directed the breeders and convinced them to slaughter 12 cattle heads in order to avoid the spread of the disease across the province, should the suspicion be confirmed".
In terms of vaccination, "more than 40 practitioners have been mobilized across the province," and more than "50 000 head of cattle have already been vaccinated." The veterinary inspection indicated that the vaccine was "widely available" and called the breeders to "cooperation and to facilitate the operation".
Concerning the measures taken by the authorities, it was learned that a decree of the governor forbids the movement of animals, except to a slaughterhouse. "When the cattle come out of the barn, it must be accompanied by a certificate of laissez-passer for the slaughterhouse," it says. In addition, a 2nd order of the governor ordered "the closing of the market of Taboukert". Besides, the inspectorate warns breeders about movements to cattle markets outside the province, in particular to those of Setif, Bouira and Relizane.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a viral animal disease affecting cattle, goats and sheep.
It should be recalled that the campaign for vaccination against FMD and rabies in cattle in Tizi-Ouzou was initiated at the beginning of the current month [April 2017] by the Veterinary Inspection Services of the Provincial Agricultural Services Directorate. A campaign which consists of a booster vaccination in addition to the campaigns already insured in recent years. To this end, a total of 92 000 doses of FMD vaccine was granted to the province and distributed by the concerned department through the Tizi-Ouzou subdivisions. For the success of this campaign, the province's veterinary inspectorate has requisitioned some 40 private veterinarians to take charge of this operation through 50 municipalities out of the 67 counties in the province of Tizi-Ouzou. It should be noted that the remaining 17 municipalities will be covered by some 70 veterinarians of the public sector.
[Byline: Kamela Haddoum and Nadia Rahab]
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ProMED-MENA
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[A strong suspicion of FMD in 3 farms in the province justified the slaughter of the affected animals and the results of the laboratory confirming the suspicion are expected. Tizi Ouzou would then be added to the list of affected provinces.
It would appear that the anti-FMD vaccine used is a heterologous anti-serotype O vaccine. Vaccination would therefore not protect against the circulating serotype A and probably increase the chances of contamination of susceptible animals across displacement of immunization teams. - Mod.AB
Since 2011, virus strains of FMDV-A, topotype Africa, lineage G-IV have reportedly been reported from Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroun and Ethiopia. According to vaccine matching tests carried out by the WRLFMD in 2016, a recent Egyptian FMDV-A field isolate (A/EGY/3/2016), belonging to the said genotype A/AFRICA/G-IV, obtained good matching results with the vaccine strain A/Eri 98 but not with A Iran 2005, ATUR 20/06 and A22IRQ. See 'Egypt" on page 15 of http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/eufmd/docs/FMD_monthly_reports/2016/October_2016.pdf.
The said results are not necessarily applicable to the recent Algerian FMDV-A Africa G-IV strain; specific vaccine matching tests of the Algerian strain are urgently needed.
Tizi Ouzou is located about 90 km [approx. 60 mi] east of Algiers; see map at http://tinyurl.com/kodu2x6. - Mod.AS
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/12576.]
