Published Date: 2021-07-25 12:09:05
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Foot & mouth disease - Libya: (BG, MA) cattle, serotype O, OIE
Archive Number: 20210725.8542771
FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE - LIBYA: (BENGHAZI, AL MARJ) CATTLE, SEROTYPE O, OIE
A ProMED-mail post http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 23 Jul 2021
Source: OIE-WAHID [edited]
https://wahis.oie.int/#/report-info?reportId=36569
Foot-and-mouth disease virus, Libya
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General information
Report type: Immediate notification
Started: 17 Jun 2021
Confirmed: 21 Jul 2021
Reported: 23 Jul 2021
Reason for notification: Recurrence
Last occurrence: 11 Jun 2019
Causal agent: Foot-and-mouth disease virus
Subtype: O
Nature of diagnosis: Clinical, laboratory
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country.
Outbreak location 1: Farzogha, Benghazi
Date of start of the outbreak: 17 Jun 2021
Epidemiological unit: Farm
Affected animals
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Cattle / 16 / 9 / 4 / 0 / 0 / -
Outbreak location 2: Algharib, Al Marj
Date of start of the outbreak: 23 Jun 2021
Epidemiological unit: Farm
Affected animals
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Cattle / 50 / 23 / 7 / 0 / 0 / -
Outbreak location 3: Sidi-bouzid, Benghazi
Date of start of the outbreak: 27 Jun 2021
Epidemiological unit: Farm
Affected animals
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of / Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Cattle / 18 / 17 / 5 / 0 / 0 / -
Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: Unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments: Based on reports of suspected clinical signs of foot and mouth disease (lameness, deaths in young calves) in dairy cattle in farms around the city of Al-Marg in the East Region, the Animal Health Office in the city conducted field investigations and collected 45 blood samples from the targeted herds and sent them to the National Veterinary Laboratory in Tripoli. Immediate control measures were taken. So far, 6779 heads of cattle have been vaccinated.
Control measures at event level
Domestic control measures applied: Surveillance outside containment and/or the protection zone, surveillance within containment and/or the protection zone, traceability, vaccination in response to the outbreak(s), quarantine, disinfection
Domestic control measures to be applied: Movement control inside the country
Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type / Species / Test / Test date / Result
Central Veterinary Laboratory, LBY (national laboratory) / cattle / ELISA for the detection of antibodies against non-structural proteins (NSP ELISA) / 21 Jul 2021 / positive
[The location of the outbreaks can be seen on the interactive map included in the OIE report at the source URL above.]
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Communicated by:
ProMED
<promed@promedmail.org>
[EUFMD's Quarterly FMD Situation Report, covering October -- December 2020 (see ref 1), mentioned that: "2 outbreaks were notified to the OIE on 15 Dec 2020 (date of start of the outbreaks: 1 Nov 2020; current status as of 13 Jan 2021: continuing). 5 cases were reported among sheep on 2 farms located in the Eastern region (Benghazi) with a population of 313 susceptible sheep and 26 goats. Clinical signs included fever, lameness, and abortion in some cases. No genotyping has been reported, but the AFRICA topotype, G-IV lineage has been reported previously.
"An investigation team from the National Centre for Animal Health (NCAH), Tripoli visited the areas around the infected premises in Benghazi, Al-Marj, Al-Abyaar, the Gulf of Sirte and Tukra. Sera from 173 cattle, sheep and goats were collected, with 9 sheep and 10 cattle samples from Benghazi and Al-Marj testing positive to NSP antibodies. Structural proteins (SP) ELISA testing to indicate the possible serotype is still pending, noting previous reports identified serotype A as the likely cause (Source: NCAH).
"Recently, the NCAH adopted a new FMD vaccination strategy, and is planning to receive 400 000 doses to vaccinate the cattle population in Libya (estimated at 100 000 head), providing 2 doses, 2 weeks apart. Small ruminants will also be vaccinated using a ring vaccination strategy in response to reported outbreaks. An FMD virtual awareness campaign targeting public and private vets on the topics of FMD diagnosis, sampling, biosecurity, and epidemiology is currently underway, also implemented by the NCAH, in collaboration with EuFMD and the FAO sub-regional office for North Africa".
EUFMD's Quarterly FMD Situation Report, covering January -- March 2021 (see ref 2), mentioned that: "FMD was reported to the OIE in January (2021) (OIE event ID: 33808, OIE World Animal Health Information System). Recently, the NCAH has launched a FMD mass vaccination campaign targeting all cattle populations (approximately 25 000 doses are available), where currently 94 000 doses have been distributed to 43 animal health offices in the east, west, and south of Libya. In parallel, blood samples are being collected to be tested against FMD and other transboundary animal diseases."
These two outbreaks mentioned in the quarterly report (October -- December 2020), are part of the event that started on 19 Feb 2020 where FMD serotype A was identified (OIE event ID 33808). The event is still continuing with 6 outbreaks reported (3 in Al Jifarah, 1 in Az Zawiyah, and 2 in Benghazi). The last follow-up report No. 9, on 17 Jan 2021 is available at https://wahis.oie.int/#/report-info?reportId=28170.
References
1. FAO/EuFMD. 2021. Foot-and-mouth disease, Quarterly report. October -- December 2020. Rome, FAO. http://www.fao.org/3/cb3494en/cb3494en.pdf
2. FAO/EuFMD. 2021. Foot-and-mouth disease, Quarterly report. January -- March 2021. Rome, FAO http://www.fao.org/3/cb4541en/cb4541en.pdf. - Mod.CRD
HealthMap/ProMED maps:
Al Marj District, Libya: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/15190
Benghazi District, Libya: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/5114]
