Published Date: 2017-02-07 11:42:02
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease - South Korea: (HB, CB) bovine, st O, RFI
Archive Number: 20170207.4821122
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE - SOUTH KOREA: (NORTH CHUNGCHEONG, NORTH JEOLLA) BOVINE, SEROTYPE O, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: Tue 7 Feb 2017
Source: The Korea Herald [edited]
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170207000793
South Korea reported this year's [2017] 2nd foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] infection at a cattle farm in North Jeolla Province, a day after the 1st outbreak was reported.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs [MAFRA] said [Tue 7 Feb 2017] that about 50 cows at the farm in North Jeolla Province were confirmed to have contracted the virus. All of infected livestock were culled.
According to the investigation, the affected cows had been infected by the O-type strain of FMD, the most common type of the disease here, but were carrying a new mutation that had not been detected in Korea before.
Authorities said that the genotype was 99.4 percent similar to the virus that appeared in Thailand and Viet Nam, while they are still looking into movements by workers and animals at the farm in question to find out how the infection was picket up.
On [Mon 6 Feb 2017] , the 1st infection in 11 months was confirmed at a cattle farm in North Chungcheong Province. Authorities immediately imposed a ban on the movement of all livestock and farm vehicles throughout the nation for 30 hours in order to prevent spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, the ministry said it looked into the result of the sample inspections and found that only 5 percent of the cows in the disease-hit region had antibodies against the FMD virus.
"The owners said that they had been negligent in vaccinating their cows to save money," said the ministry official Kim Kyung-gyu. "Some said that (they skipped vaccination) thinking the vaccine injection may make cows suffer miscarriages," he added.
The ministry said that, typically, 97.5 percent of cattle develop antibodies against the virus if given regular vaccination.
"It is true that the authorities' sampling inspections were less concentrated on cows, as we have only seen more infection cases among pigs, so the ministry is considering changing the current inspection method," said Kim, adding that the ministry would immediately vaccinate about 3 million more cattle.
As of [Tue 7 Feb 2017], around 102 000 cattle and pigs in Korea are in line to be vaccinated this week, as part of the government's measures to prevent further spread of the disease. The government also raised the country's FMD watch level to "alert."
[Byline: Kim Da-sol]
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[South Korea's MAFRA duly notified the OIE about the 1st outbreak, in Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong), on 6 Feb 2017 (see at http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=22735). According to the said notification, the date of start of the event, its confirmation, and its reporting all took place on Sun 5 Feb 2017, while the notification was submitted to OIE next day, Mon 6 Feb 2017. The notification further indicated that the affected cattle herd counted 195 head, of which 15 were "cases" (showing salivation and vesicles). All 195 have already been destroyed as of the day of notification submission to the OIE. The causative agent was, reportedly, identified as FMDV serotype O. The diagnosis, carried out by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (OIE Reference Laboratory), was obtained by the application of real-time reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR).
The current media report informs about the confirmation of a 2nd outbreak in cattle, in another province -- North Jeolla (Jeollabuk-do). The name of the exact location of the outbreak within this province has not become public yet. However, it seems that the 2 outbreaks are distant from each other; this, since the location of the 1st outbreak, in North Chungcheong, as indicated in the relevant OIE map, is at least 70 km (about 44 mi) distant from the closest border with the North Jeolla province. In case the age of FMD lesions in both outbreaks is similar, their origin from a common source should be suspected. Information on the possible source(s) of infection will be appreciated.
According to the official data, the diagnosis in this case and immediate application of control measures, were swift. Korea's bitter FMD experience in 2010, when a huge number of animals had to be culled, led to practical conclusions; the government decided to undertake extensive measures to prevent a repetition of such event, including enhanced surveillance, improved diagnostic facilities, and general, mass vaccinations. The availability of a potent, tested vaccine is not sufficient; if the vaccination is compulsory, intensified involvement of the State in its implementation is prescribed. - Mod.AS
Maps of South Korea can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/jvukf5u and http://healthmap.org/promed/p/195. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
