FAO Will Advise Nations on F&MD

March 14, 2001

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization says the rapid spread of foot and mouth disease shows how the virus can cause epidemics in countries which have been free from the disease for years. The FAO European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EUFMD) will discuss the current outbreak and advise countries at its meeting in Rome on March 21-23. The Commission was established in 1954 and has 33 member countries. It coordinates the national FMD programs at the continental level.

In some parts of the world, the F&MD situation has improved substantially over the last two or three decades, FAO said. North and Central America, large parts of southern Latin America, the Caribbean and Pacific nations are free of the disease as were large parts of southern Africa and Europe until recently.

"However, F&MD remains endemic in many countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America. Emergency preparedness, contingency plans and awareness campaigns are of critical importance for the control of F&MD. No country can consider itself safe from the risk of the disease, due to increased international trade, tourism, the movement of animals, animal products and foodstuff."

The F&MD virus is one of the most virulent viruses, FAO said. It is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals and characterized by the formation of vesicles (fluid-filled blisters) and erosions in the mouth, nose, teats and feet. Although usually not lethal in adult animals, it can kill young animals (piglets, lambs, kid and calves) and causes serious production losses as well as animal suffering. Countries affected by F&MD are prevented from exporting animals and animal products. F&MD "very rarely" affects humans with mild illness, the FAO said.

There are seven separate virus types that cause F&MD. The virus recently discovered in the UK is called serotype O of the pan-Asian strain. It was first identified in northern India in 1990 and spread westwards into Saudi Arabia in 1994 and, subsequently, throughout the Near East and into Europe. In 1993 it was found in Nepal and later in Bangladesh and Bhutan. In late 1999 and 2000 it reached most of Southeast Asia.

The potential for the spread of epidemic diseases over vast distances was demonstrated last September when Pan-Asian type O entered South Africa. It was the first time that this strain of the virus was detected on the African continent.

A particular risk for introduction of the virus is associated with feeding pigs with swill (waste food), FAO said. It is suspected that this is the likely origin of the introduction of the virus in South Africa and also in the UK.

FAO called for "stricter controls on imports of all foodstuffs including those carried by travelers and wastes from aircrafts and ships." To eradicate the disease, a "stamping out" policy is the method of choice, according to FAO. Ring vaccination can be used to assist in the process where the number of outbreaks and of animals affected are so considerable that the "stamping out" approach poses operational and public acceptance problems. Eradication of the disease should remain the target. Vaccination is not a substitute for eradication, FAO said. "Although protected against F&MD, vaccinated animals are not totally resistant and can still become infected and shed the virus. To maintain immunity, animals must be revaccinated regularly," FAO said.

The organization has developed a new multimedia program to help countries set up effective procedures for coping with animal disease emergencies. The program called 'Good Emergency Management Practices (GEMP)' aims at helping countries to develop emergency preparedness contingency plans based on early warning, early reaction and control measures for each animal disease.