Zimbabwe: (Mashonland West, Mashonland East) bovine, serotype not typed, OIE

Report type: immediate notification
Date of start of the event: 17 Jan 2018
Date of confirmation of the event: 17 Jan 2018
Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: Nov 2015
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: Foot and mouth disease virus
Serotype: not typed
Nature of diagnosis: clinical
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country.

New outbreaks (3)
Outbreak 1 (Chegutu FMD 1/2018): Ardlui Farm, Chegutu, Mashonaland West
Date of start of the outbreak: 17 Jan 2018
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered
Cattle / 239 / 13 / 0 / 0 / 0
Affected population: cattle of varying age groups on a self-contained commercial farm.

Outbreak 2 (Marondera FMD 1/2018): Maganga, Marondera, Mashonaland East
Date of start of the outbreak: 18 Jan 2018
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered
Cattle / 60 / 15 / 0 / 0 / 0
Affected population: 15 heifers bought from an infected farm.

Outbreak 3 (Macheke FMD 1/2018): Nyadema, Macheke, Mashonaland East
Date of start of the outbreak: 18 Jan 2018
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: farm
Affected animals:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered
Cattle / 1301 / 43 / 0 / 0 / 0
Affected population: Cattle of varying age groups sharing grazing and watering points.

Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 3
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered
Cattle / 1600 / 71 / 0 / 0 / 0
Outbreak statistics [rates apparent, expressed as percentages]:
Species / Morbidity rate / Mortality rate / Case fatality rate / Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Cattle / 4.44 / 0 / 0 / 0
*Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction, and / or slaughter

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: Unknown or inconclusive, introduction of new live animals, illegal movement of animals, contact with infected animal(s) at grazing/watering

Epidemiological comments: Suspected cases of FMD were detected at Ardlui farm, about 7km [4.34 miles approx.] south of Chegutu town, by the area veterinary extension workers (VEW) on [Wed 17 Jan 2018]. The VEW immediately alerted the district veterinary officer and provincial Veterinary Officer who both immediately drove to the farm and tentatively confirmed the disease on clinical signs. A total of 13 cattle in a herd of 239 beef cattle on the farm were seen with FMD lesions. Farm records indicated there were 4 movements into the farm and 3 movements out of the farm between [Fri 1 Dec 2017] and [Wed 17 Jan 2018]. Animals that moved into the farm were 2 bulls on [Sat 2 Dec 2017] from Pilosoff farm in Bulawayo, 8 cows on [Sat 9 Dec 2017] from Mt Hampden sale, 17 heifers on [Tue 12 Dec 2017] from Mt Hampden sale and 18 cows on [Sat 23 Dec 2017] from Aldington farm in Beatrice Seke district. Three of the outward movements were all to Mt Hampden Sale on [Sat 9 Dec 2017, Wed 3 Jan 2018 and Mon 15 Jan 2018]. Movement permit records were used to map out all destinations of cattle that were on the 3 sales that had animals from Ardlui farm. A list of all the source farms that sent animals to Ardlui farm and all destination farms that received animals from the 3 sales in which Ardlui farm participated has been compiled to facilitate trace back and trace forward investigations by respective provinces. Disease surveillance inspections on these target farms are still ongoing. The source of infection has not yet been identified as no evidence of disease has been detected at any of the source farms that sent animals to Ardlui farm in the recent past. Trace forward investigations have shown the Mt Hampden sales on [Wed 3 and Tue 16 Jan 2018] sold infected cattle as outbreaks have been detected at some of the properties that received animals from these sales. To date infection has been detected at 2 destination sites in Marondera (Maganga Estate) and Macheke (Nyadema farm) all in Mashonaland east province. Vaccinations are underway on the 3 infected areas while investigations continue.

Control measures
Measures applied: movement control inside the country, no treatment of affected animals
vaccination in response to the outbreak(s):
Administrative division/ Species/ Total vaccinated/ Details
Mashonaland East/ Cattle/ 500 / Following outbreaks at Maganga and Nyadema farms, susceptible cattle on and around the farms were vaccinated.
Measures to be applied: no other measures

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type / Species / Test / Result
Central Veterinary Laboratory (national laboratory) / Cattle / liquid-phase blocking ELISA / Pending
Central Veterinary Laboratory (national laboratory) / Cattle / polymerase chain reaction (PCR) / Pending
Botswana Vaccine Institute (OIE reference laboratory) / Cattle / virus sequencing / Pending

Future reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.