Foot and mouth disease control strategies in North Africa and the Middle East the current

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Foot and mouth disease control strategies in North Africa and the Middle East the current"

Peregrine Pope
5 years ago
Views:

1 1. Title, names and addresses of authors Foot and mouth disease control strategies in North Africa and the Middle East the current situation G. Yehia (1), P. Primot (1) (1) OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East PO Box 6220/268 Hazmieh Kfarshima - Lebanon 2. Keywords Foot and Mouth Disease Middle East North Africa control surveillance sampling - vaccination strategy 3. Text 3.1. Introduction Even if the situation in the Middle East and in North Africa is not strictly the same according to each epidemiological specificities of both regions, FMD still one of the main constraints affecting livestock production in this part of the world, remaining a significant drain on the budgets of the national veterinary services of each country and on the livelihoods of livestock owners across the region (1). FMD is mostly endemic in all the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) and despite using modern and effective vaccines, periodic devastating epidemics occur, usually originating from neighbouring regions - West Asia, East and West Africa (Sub Sahara area) - and spreading rapidly across national and regional borders (1, 2, 3, 4). The purpose of this paper is to draw up the present situation of the disease in the MENA, underlining critical gaps in strategies adopted by regional countries for the control of the disease and proposing actions to be implemented in order to improve this control, taking into account sub regional areas and particularities of the region Particularities of the region In almost MENA countries, large ruminant livestock resources are bred, providing livelihood and employment to a high proportion of the population (1, 7). Geographically, this region is characterised by extensive land border and much of the region is arid or semi arid, which 1

2 drastically limits the potential availability of natural pasture (5, 6). Therefore transhumance and animal movement, both for grazing or trade, between neighbouring countries are important, notably in order to satisfy people needs during Muslim special events (Hajj and Ramadan) (6, 7). Such fluidity has significant consequences for the spread of animal diseases, FMD notably (6) The current situation of FMD in the MENA The current situation in the Middle East (3, 4) FMD is endemic in all the Middle East and periodic devastating epidemics usually occur, spreading rapidly across national and regional borders in the past few years. The A Iran 05 topotype, belonging to the Asia topotype, is the predominant serotype A lineage circulating in the Middle East. It has two different paths of evolution (S and NS genome regions): the A22 sub-lineage as starting point and A/IRN/105, A-Iran-96, A-Iran-99 as evolutionary intermediates. In Turkey, in 2007, the new sub-lineages A-Iran-05 ARD-07 and A-Iran-05 EZM-07 were observed and were predominant in this country. This strain is now presented in most of the Middle Eastern countries and has reached since the beginning of 2009 Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and Libya (Figure 1). The new epidemic sub-lineage reported in the above countries and circulating recently in West Eurasia has been named as A-Iran-05 BAR-08 The A Egypt 06 has more than 90% identity with A/KEN/98, A/ETH/92 and A/KEN/05, and all topotypes are closely related. Its introduction in Egypt from East Africa was probably made through the trade in live cattle from Ethiopia (via sea-route). The A Egypt 09 identified recently in Egypt is close related to A/EGY/06 (95.5% identity). This confirms the persistence of African type A virus in Egypt, spread in 2006 and evolved until The O PanAsia II, belonging to the ME-SA topotype, was first recorded in 2003 in India and is now widely spread in all the Middle East (Figure 2). All viruses are closely related to each other (with maximum 5% difference) and distinct from the earlier PanAsia lineage. Over the period , it has been reported in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Bahrain, and Pakistan. 2

3 The current situation in North Africa(2) In the North Africa region, FMD occurrence is more sporadic and cyclic, usually originating from exogenous sources. This sub region is threatened by FMD strains circulating in Sub Sahara and West Africa. Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia experienced their last outbreaks in 1999, with the occurrence of the O Maghreb, belonging to the topotype O WA. Serotype A was also introduced in 2006 in Mauritania and serotype SAT 2 in Libya in The occurrence of A Iran 05 recently in Libya is a critical event, threatening all of the west part of the North Africa region Current strategies adopted to control the disease All information reported in this paragraph were compiled from specific country questionnaires set up in order to well prepare last FMD Round Tables, organized respectively by the OIE FAO Regional Animal Health from Tunis and Beirut, in North Africa and in the Middle East (2, 4) Laboratory and Sampling All countries have a national official laboratory which performs FMD analyses, essentially serological analyses using ELISA tests. Some laboratories in the region are able to work also with live virus: Iran, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco. The OIE - FAO World Reference Laboratory (Pirbright) is the main reference laboratory where sample from the region are sent. Sampling is rarely conducted by Middle Eastern countries in order to perform virus isolation and strain characterisation (Figure 3) Serosurveillance Serosurveillance programmes are generally conducted on a non regular basis in most of countries of the region, based on punctual serosurveys in order to assess FMD seroprevalence in the concerned country. Nevertheless, regular continuous serosurveillance programmes are implemented in some countries, such as North African countries, Turkey and Iran, both with the support of international agencies or institutions Vaccination 3

4 FMD vaccination is conducted in most of MENA countries, either compulsory or on a voluntary basis and generally free of charge. In North Africa, Morocco is an exception, having stopped the vaccination in Different vaccines and suppliers are used in the MENA region, principally from Europe, India and Russia. But some countries are also vaccine producers (Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Turkey and Morocco, which produced vaccines from imported concentrated antigen). Vaccination strategies and vaccines strains used in this region are very heterogeneous (Table 1, 2 and 3) and not usually matching the current circulating strains. The vaccination is principally implemented on the cattle population, but in some countries also on sheep and goats (Table 2). The vaccination coverage is not satisfactory in most of the countries either vaccination is implemented on a compulsory basis or on a voluntary one (Figures 4 and 5). The control of vaccination efficacy is rarely implemented, only in North African countries and in Egypt Emergency response FMD is a mandatory notifiable disease in all countries, but only few ones have a National Emergency Fund available for FMD emergency response. In the North Africa region zoning could be implemented to restrict animal movement in case of emergency. None country has an emergency antigen bank and an emergency stock of vaccine is available only in very few countries. But, punctual agreement could be signed for vaccine supplying in emergency situations Awareness programmes All countries have awareness programmes on FMD, mainly focused on farmers by implementing meetings, sometimes on a regular frequency, and training in some countries. Awareness programmes mostly depends on current FMD country situation, activating principally when the disease occur or may occur. Media awareness programmes are used also in some countries. 4

5 3.5. What could be done to control the disease? - Summary of the frame developed for the Middle East 5th FMD Round Table Beirut During the 5 th FMD Round Table held in Beirut Lebanon in April 2009, participants discussed and adopted the outlines for a relevant programme in support of the OIE/ FAO strategy for the global control of FMD (4). The main objective of this programme is to increase and harmonise the level of FMD surveillance and control in the Middle East region, including: Assessing current country strategies to manage the disease; Harmonisation between countries surveillance strategies, vaccine programs, vaccine monitoring, animals and animal products movement control; Training technical staff to conduct appropriate prevention and control measures against the disease; Implementing appropriate measures and methodologies in collaboration with Reference Laboratories, to identify FMD strains circulating in the region and potential introduction of others Conclusions FMD is a main constraint of animal production in the MENA region. To control the disease in the region, vaccination in large ruminants, sometimes also in small ruminants, is the common strategy adopted. These vaccination programs are not harmonized between countries with regularly a poor vaccine matching. The lack of relevant and harmonized surveillance programmes with well trained staff, the lack of early warning and rapid response systems in most countries of the region and the poor level of transparency and collaboration between countries are important factors hampering the well control of the disease. The extensive land border in the region and the importance of transhumance and animal movement between neighbouring countries, notably in order to satisfy people needs during Muslim special events (Hajj and Ramadan) make the disease control even more difficult. 5

6 Furthermore, some countries are not able to secure funding within their budgets for FMD surveillance and control programs. The MENA region is much more complex than other regions, regarding its geographical location, at the crossing of three continents, and shall be recognized as a high risk area for the spread of FMD virus to neighbouring regions, especially Europe. The implementation of a harmonized and coordinated programmes to control the disease according to each sub regional specificities, shall be a priority, position regularly wished by Chief Veterinary Officers from this region. The newly created OIE FAO Regional Animal Health Centres, in Beirut and Tunis, under the umbrella of Regional Steering Committees of the GF-TADs shall be the relevant structures to carry such program in the frame of a global strategy. 4. Acknowledgements (if applicable) The authors would like to thank staffs from the OIE FAO Regional Animal Health Centre for North Africa in Tunis and from the OIE FAO Regional Animal Health Centre for the Middle East in Beirut, for their assistance and support. 5. References 1. Aidaros H.A. (2002), Regional status and approaches for control and eradication of FMD in the Middle East and North Africa - Rev.Sci.Tech.Off.Int.Epi; 21 (3) Available at: 2. Anonymous. FAO (2007), Report of the 4th FMD Round Table for the control of the disease in North Africa, Rabat, October Available at: 3. Anonymous. OIE-FAO (2007), Report of the 4th FMD Round Table for the control of the disease in the Middle East, Amman, September Available at: 4. Anonymous. OIE FAO (2009), Report of the 5th FMD Round Table for the control of the disease in the Middle East, Beirut, April Available at: 6

7 5. Bourn D. (2003), Livestock Dynamics in the Arabian Peninsula. A Regional Review of National Livestock Resources and International Livestock Trade, FAO Report, Roma. Available at: 6. Slingenbergh J. (2003), Clarifying diseases spread in the Eurasian Ruminant Street, Report of the 35th Session of EUFMD, Rome, App.10. Available at 7. Wint W. (2003) Ruminants, seasons and grazing in the Middle East. William Wint, Environmental Research Group Oxford, United Kingdom, consultant, mars 2003, Rome. Available at : 7

8 6. Tables FMD Vaccine Type Country Annual Frequency Quadrivalent vaccine (O, A, SAT1 and SAT2) Sudan (2006) Tetravalent vaccines (O, A, Asia 1 and SAT 2) Trivalent vaccines (O India 53/73, A Iran 96, Asia 1) Trivalent (O, A 22, Asia 1) Bivalent vaccines (A and O Manisa) Kuwait Qatar UAE Syria Bahrain Iran Iraq Lebanon Oman PAT Turkey Egypt Jordan Turkey Yemen 3 times or twice a year 3 times (fattening herds) or 3 times (dairy cattle) 3 times Table 1: FMD vaccine used in the Middle East for cattle protection (type and annual frequency) (4) 8

9 FMD Vaccine Type Sheep and Goats Country Annual Frequency Tetravalent vaccines (O, A, Asia 1 and SAT 2) Trivalent vaccines (O India 53/73, A Iran 96, Asia 1) Trivalent (O, A 22, Asia 1) Qatar UAE Syria Bahrain Iran Oman - twice Bivalent (A and O Manisa) Turkey Monovalent (O Manisa) Iraq Jordan PAT 3 times - Table 2: FMD vaccine used in the Middle East for sheep and goats protection (type and annual frequency) (4) 9

10 Country Strategy Type of FMD vaccine Annual Frequency Vaccinated population Morocco Stopped in 2007 Before Mandatory and free Monovalent O North Africa between Sept to Dec 90 Tunisia Mandatory and free Tetravalent O Manisa, O Maghreb, A22, SAT 2 between Sept to Dec 75 Algeria Mandatory and free Bivalent O Manisa, A 22 once 70 Libya Depends on FMD situation Around outbreaks Tetravalent A, O, C, SAT 2 Table 3: FMD vaccines used in North Africa for cattle protection (2) 10

7. Figures Summer 2007 Late 2005-09 2003-09 2004 2007 2007 Late 2006 Jan 2009 Early 2006 Mar 2009 Late 2005 Late 2008 & 2009 Figure 1: Dispersion of A Iran 05

11 7. Figures Summer 2007 Late Late 2006 Jan 2009 Early 2006 Mar 2009 Late 2005 Late 2008 & 2009 Figure 1: Dispersion of A Iran 05 in the Middle East and North Africa (Copyright: A. Di Nardo (WRL Pirbright 5 th FMD Regional Round Table for the Middle East Beirut Lebanon 7,8 April 2009) (4) 11

Jan 2007-09 Late 2006 Early-mid 2007 Early-mid 2006 & 2007, 2009 Jan 2008 Summer 2007 Summer 2007 & 2008 Jan 2007 Jan 2007 & 2008 Summer 2007 & 2008 Figure 2:

12 Jan Late 2006 Early-mid 2007 Early-mid 2006 & 2007, 2009 Jan 2008 Summer 2007 Summer 2007 & 2008 Jan 2007 Jan 2007 & 2008 Summer 2007 & 2008 Figure 2: Dispersion of O PanAsia II strain in the Middle East (Copyright: A. Di Nardo (WRL Pirbright 5 th FMD Regional Round Table for the Middle East Beirut Lebanon 7,8 April 2009) (4) 12

13 Bahrain Egypt Figure 3: samples sent by Middle Eastern countries to the OIE FAO Reference Laboratory for virus isolation ( ) (4) Iran Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman PAT Qatar Sudan Syria Turkey UAE Yemen

14 Bahrain Iran Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Turkey Figure 4: Vaccination coverage on the cattle population from Middle Eastern countries where FMD vaccination is compulsory (4) 14

15 Iraq Oman PAT Qatar Figure 5: Vaccination coverage on the cattle population from Middle Eastern countries where FMD vaccination is implemented on a voluntary basis (4) 15

Dr Ghazi Yehia OIE Regional Representative for the Middle East

Foot and mouth disease control strategies in North Africa and the Middle East The current situation Asuncion, Paraguay, 24-26 June 2009 Dr Ghazi Yehia OIE Regional Representative for the Middle East Acknowledgements