AnimalNet Sept. 17/04
Ergotism,
bovine - New Zealand
WHO: Improve
capacity to respond quickly to food contamination
Avian
influenza, H3N2, poultry - USA (MO)
Study links
animal bacteria to Crohn's disease
U.S. to
develop three-pronged strategy against agro terrorism
Megahog farm
plans scrapped, site for sale
Thai joint
venture plans to boost specific pathogen free pig production
Combating
emerging zoonoses: challenges and prospects at community level
Trade and
imports of aquaculture animals
how to subscribe
Ergotism,
bovine - New Zealand
September 16, 2004
ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
Source: Stuff.com [edited]
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3035147a3600,00.html
Rare cattle disease hits 6 dairy herds
A cattle disease so rare that most veterinarians have only seen it in textbooks
has been confirmed on 6 Southland dairy farms.
The disease, gangrenous ergotism, was 1st discovered on a dairy property by
Invercargill Veterinary Services veterinarian Merlyn Hay in the latter part of
the winter [2004], and, confirmed by diagnosis at Gribbles Veterinary Pathology
lab at Invermay. Subsequently, 5 more of the practice's dairy clients had the
disease confirmed, with other cases apparently also diagnosed in South Otago.
The disease is caused by a fungal toxin found in ryegrass seedhead. It results
in severe hind limb lameness, which progresses to gangrene with severe sloughing
of the skin and tissues around the hoof. Dr. Hay said the disease was extremely
rare, but this season, with a hot dry summer followed by a cold wet winter, had
resulted in ideal conditions for the development of the fungus. "Normally,
it is not warm enough for the fungus to grow," Dr. Hay said. The toxin is
ingested by at-risk cows through silage or baleage containing a high percentage
of infected seedhead. Dr. Hay has been involved in all 6 affected farms and
believes a lot of other cases may have gone undiagnosed. "It's really
unusual and often seen only in textbooks. There is no treatment, and cows have
to be euthanized." Dr. Hay estimated that well over 100 cows could have
been affected by the disease. A lot of silage and baleage had been made this
season that contained a high percentage of seedhead, the ideal breeding ground
for the fungi, she said.
Gribbles diagnosis had found ergotised ryegrass in 2 out of 3 outbreaks checked.
In all other cases, all of the suspect conserved feed had been fed out before
the disease was confirmed.
Dr. Hay recommended that, even though the disease might not rear its head again
for many seasons, silage-baleage should be cut earlier to ensure higher quality
and low levels of seedhead.
[Byline: John Cutt]
[Ergot is caused by a fungus known as Claviceps purpura or Claviceps paspalum.
Essentially, ergot can be divided into 2 categories, the neurological form that
causes animals to stagger (_C. paspalum_) and the gangrene form (_C. purpura_).
This form causes vasoconstriction such that cattle may slough their ears, the
switch of their tail, or, even their hooves. It is very painful when they slough
their hooves. The animals will not walk to feed or water, and euthanasia is the
best option.
If the animal has the neurological form of the disease, they can recover, but
there is no treatment for the gangrene.
The fungus invades the seed head and forms a slerotia, which is approximately
twice the size of the individual grains in the seed head. It is visible, and, if
producers are aware that the conditions for the fungus are right, they may be
able to examine their hay fields and avoid baling infected grasses. - Mod.TG]
WHO:
Improve capacity to respond quickly to food contamination
September 17, 2004
From a press release
SHANGHAI, China -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to
improve their capacity to respond to emergencies posed by natural, accidental
and intentional contamination of food.
Addressing the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Shanghai,
China, Dr Shigeru Omi, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said this
will require greater emphasis on food safety, including the allocation of
additional resources and greater sharing of information.
"Rapid globalization of food production and trade has increased the
potential for international incidents involving food contamination with
microbial or chemical hazards," said Dr Omi. "Reducing the risk of
foodborne disease is achieved most effectively by targeted prevention throughout
the production, processing and marketing chain and through greater cooperation
and information sharing."
The Regional Committee is meeting from September 13 to 17 to review WHO's work
and map future health directions. Over a hundred Representatives, including
several health ministers from Member States, are attending the meeting.
Dr Omi raised three important issues on food safety:
the emergence in Asia of zoonoses -- diseases transmitted to humans from
animals;
the potential of terrorist threats to food and the importance of rapid sharing
of information to fight against such threats; and
the ongoing health and economic consequences of food contamination and foodborne
illnesses in the Region.
Citing the recent outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza and the ongoing concerns with
contaminated food in the Region, Dr Omi pointed out that, "If the risk of
both foodborne disease and zoonoses are to be reduced, there needs to be close
collaboration between health ministries and those responsible for agriculture
and trade as well as comprehensive and integrated approach to food safety, with
the producers, processors, traders and consumers all playing a role. Without a
comprehensive and integrated approach along the food chain, food will be left
unprotected and human health will be placed at risk."
Dr Omi further noted that cross-border concerns associated with both food safety
and zoonoses must be tackled not only at the national level, but also through
closer links amongst authorities at international and regional levels. The
Regional Committee urged Member States to:
improve information sharing and cooperative action in relation to food safety
and international and regional levels;
ensure greater cooperation among ministries, producers, industry and consumers
to address all aspects of food safety;
pay immediate attention to human health aspects and regulate control of live
birds and animals for food, to reduce the risk of emerging zoonoses giving rise
to a new pandemic.
In support of its Member States, WHO will give greater emphasis to food safety
at the regional level and build effective partnerships to better protect human
health and more effectively control emerging zoonoses.
The 37 countries and areas comprising the WHO Western Pacific Region are:
American Samoa, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands,
Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hong Kong (China), Japan, Kiribati, Lao People's
Democratic Republic, Macao (China), Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Federated States
of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern
Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands,
Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu,
Vanuatu, Viet Nam, and Wallis and Futuna.
SOURCE World Health Organization
Avian
influenza, H3N2, poultry - USA (MO)
September 16, 2004
ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
Source: Springfield News [edited]
http://springfield.news-leader.com/business/today/0915-Poultryinf-179536.html
Poultry infected with avian flu, Ag Forte turkeys carried mild strain, other
flocks, humans not threatened.
Ag Forte, an Aurora-based poultry company, has quarantined, and will slaughter,
a flock of 14 000 turkeys, after the birds tested positive for a strain of avian
influenza.
The strain of bird flu detected, H3N2, poses no risk of transfer to humans, said
David Compton, Barry and Lawrence County emergency management director.
"There's not [a] threat to anybody or any other flocks," Compton said
on Tuesday [14 Sep 2004]. "This was handled very appropriately. Ag Forte,
as a matter of prevention, quarantined that flock."
After slaughter, the turkeys will be sold for meat, and that meat is safe for
consumption, said Rick Vanderspek, general manager and chief operating officer
for Ag Forte. The meat will go into "further processed" foods, such as
turkey pot pies, or other foods using turkey as an ingredient.
This strain of the bird flu, as well as most others detected in North America,
are considered low pathogenic and are fairly mild compared with the
high-pathogenic flu in Asian countries. The Asian strains have been devastating
to that region's poultry industry and have caused some human deaths.
The affected turkeys in Missouri were breed stock for Ag Forte, a company that
produces turkey eggs, hatches those eggs, and sells the baby turkeys, or poults,
to other companies. The poultry companies that buy the poults will then grow the
birds until they are at slaughter weight, Vanderspek said.
It is common for Ag Forte to slaughter its breeder turkeys after they've
produced eggs for a certain amount of time. These turkeys, however, will be
slaughtered earlier than usual because of the detection of avian influenza.
This low-pathogenic avian flu strain is usually found among swine. Low
pathogenic viruses cause less severe or no illness when they infect poultry.
Ag Forte had some signs of the disease in its birds, before a routine test for
the virus detected it. "We check monthly for the virus. We test in our own
labs and submit it to the state," Vanderspek said. "Before that, we'd
noticed our egg production wasn't what we expected. That was a warning
sign."
Ag Forte owns the farm and the turkeys where the flu was detected.
For at least 30 days after the detection of avian influenza, Lawrence County,
and counties adjacent to it, will not be able to export poultry to Russia,
Vanderspek said. "Russian export laws say that if any avian flu shows up,
that state cannot export to Russia," he said. In this case, the ban is
limited to Lawrence and adjacent counties.
The detection of this low pathogenic flu is not expected to further affect
southwest Missouri's poultry industry, Compton said.
Ag Forte will lose some income as a result of the early slaughter of the breeder
turkeys, which were capable of producing eggs for several more weeks.
"We'll have some financial impact, though it won't be devastating,"
Vanderspek said.
Ag Forte has about 250 000 breeding birds in its total operation.
[Byline: Karen E. Culp
[Although this is a low pathogenic version of the flu, depopulation is the right
move. It helps to stop the spread of the disease and limits the effects on
commerce. Also, low pathogenic strains can mutate into highly pathogenic
strains. It is not likely to happen with this strain, but, certainly,
depopulation will prevent it from happening. - Mod.TG]
Study
links animal bacteria to Crohn's disease
September 17, 2004
Reuters
Patricia Reaney
LONDON - Dr Saleh Naser and researchers at the University of Central Florida in
Orlando were cited as reporting in The Lancet medical journal that a bacterium
called MAP which is found in cattle, sheep and goats suffering from an illness
called Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease could also be responsible for Crohn's
disease, adding, "We discovered the bacteria in the blood of Crohn's
patients. This is the first time anyone has done that. There is strong evidence
that this bacteria may be responsible for Crohn's disease."
Naser was further cited as saying that previous studies have concentrated on
looking for MAP in the tissue of Crohn's patients and the outcome has been
mixed.
Professor Warwick Selby of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Newtown,
Australia was cited as saying in a commentary in the journal that although the
research may fall short of proving that MAP is one of the causes of the illness,
it raises many important questions, adding, "The findings now need to be
replicated in other laboratories. Whatever one's view, MAP cannot continue to be
ignored in Crohn's disease."
U.S.
to develop three-pronged strategy against agro terrorism
September 16, 2004
AMI Media Release
http://www.meatami.com/
The United States must develop a three-pronged strategy in an effort to
pre-empt an attack or defend the nation against agroterrorism, says a new
report authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). This strategy
should include deterrence and prevention, detection and response, and recovery
and management of the crisis.
The 49-page report entitled, Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness,
establishes that agriculture has several characteristics that pose unique
problems for managing the threat including geographical considerations,
production concentration, commingling of raw materials, export ramifications and
lack of veterinary expertise. Agroterrorism is defined as the deliberate
introduction of an animal or plant disease with the goal of generating fear,
causing economic losses, and/or undermining stability. In order to stave off
possible international terrorist attacks, the report recommends:
Deterrence and preventions: Establishment of inspection and quarantine
practices, and pre-clearing certain imports off shore by APHIS.
Detection and Response: Existing frameworks for detecting identifying, reporting
and tracking natural and accidental disease outbreaks need to be applied to
combating agro terrorism.
Recovery and Management: Recovery begins with plans to resume husbandry of
plants and animals in the affected areas, introducing new genetic traits in
response to the disease or pest, and rebuilding public confidence in domestic
markets.
According to CRS, the results of an attack may include major economic crises in
the agriculture and food industries, loss of confidence in the government, and
possibly human casualties. Humans could be at risk in terms of food safety or
public health, especially if the chosen disease is transmissible to humans (zoonotic).
A major problem that exists for the security and control of agricultural
production is the geographical disbursement of unsecured environments. Other
unique problems include livestock concentration in confined locations and
transportation and commingling with other herds. Also, according to the report,
many veterinarians lack experience with foreign animal diseases that are
resilient and endemic in foreign countries.
With the increase of laws and appropriations made on behalf of preparedness and
agroterrorism, the report includes a review and an assessment of their impact to
date. On July 13, 2004, the House passed the FY2005 agriculture appropriations
bill (H.R. 4766), including several agroterrorism items.
To view the report in its entirety, go to
http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32521.pdf
Megahog
farm plans scrapped, site for sale
September 17, 2004
The Peterborough Examiner
A1 / Front
Matthew Van Dongen
Ontario's Otonabee-South Monaghan Township's only large-scale hog farm is,
according to this story, up for sale and plans for a new barn have been scrapped
after the majority owner went into receivership earlier this month.
The story says that the 2,500-sow operation on Blezard Line was owned jointly by
local residents James and Gerard Faux and London's Premium Pork Canada Inc.
Gerard Faux was cited as saying the Faux brothers had been fighting the township
and protesting residents for more than a year to start a new hog barn on
Villiers Line - but that plan died with Premium Pork, adding, "That is all
but gone now. We had run into roadblocks with the township anyway. If we had
fought it maybe we would have won, but it would have cost us $20,000 (in legal
fees) just to do so."
The township passed an interim bylaw in February to stop construction on the
planned hog barn.
Faux argued the new operation met all of the regulations set out in the
provincial Nutrient Management Act, which supersedes municipal bylaws.
Thai
joint venture plans to boost specific pathogen free pig production
September 17, 2004
Knight-Ridder Tribune
Phusadee Arunmas, Bangkok Post, Thailand
Thai SPF Products Co, a joint venture between Japan's Sumitomo Corporation and
Thailand's Betagro Group, plans, according to this story, to double production
of specific pathogen free (SPF) pigs to 200,000 next year to meet higher demand
for hygienic meat.
Vasit Taepaisitphongse, the chief operating officer of Betagro Group, was cited
as saying a new farm costing around 200 million baht is being built in Prachin
Buri, where controls for foot and mouth disease are very stringent, and that the
additional pig production could serve the processing business that Betagro had
formed with Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co to make cooked foods for the Japanese
market.
Combating
emerging zoonoses: challenges and prospects at community level
September 17, 2004
Conference on Infectious Disease: European Response to Public Health Risks from
Emerging Zoonotic Diseases, The Hague, 17 September 2004
David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/04/405&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Introduction
I am pleased that the Presidency, with the support of the Commission, has
organised a well researched programme for the Conference.
Avian Influenza in Holland
These proceedings are taking place against the backdrop of the devastating
outbreak of Avian Influenza here in Holland last year. While the animal welfare
issues and economic losses were enormous, the human implications were brought
home very starkly in a European context for the first time.
Resolute action at the time by the Commission, and the Dutch, Belgian and German
authorities, brought what was a serious situation back from the brink of being a
tragic human catastrophe of huge proportions. Yet, we had one very regrettable
death and over eighty human cases of avian influenza. And, we had clear evidence
of human-to-human transmissions of the virus.
This crisis was a major wake-up call to European governments and policy makers.
We must learn the lessons of this episode, as well as from SARS and the current
outbreak of avian influenza in Asia.
I have said very clearly that we need to develop an integrated zoonoses strategy
embracing both human and animal dimensions. The realisation of this strategy
must become a top political priority in the period ahead.
Putting in place a coherent, planned approach makes a huge amount of sense from
an economic and human health point of view. We only have to consider the human
tragedy costs, and political fall-out of playing catch-up with, for example, BSE.
I would like to outline to you a few personal reflections and policy proposals
arising from my own direct involvement in the European and Asian outbreaks of
the so-called bird-flu.
Transparency
Firstly, the issue of transparency. Unless farmers, producers, public and
private authorities and everyone else involved are 100% open and transparent at
all stages, then a bad situation can only get worse.
Look at China on SARS and Thailand on avian influenza as two classical examples
of an absence of transparency and the ensuing consequences.
Precautionary measures
Secondly, the key need to have all aspects of risk analysis working at a premium
- assessment, management and communication. Obviously, a correct diagnosis of
the problem is essential at the outset. However, pending a formal, clinical
confirmation, it may already be necessary to take immediate precautionary
measures to halt the spread of the pathogen in question. Speed is of the
essence.
EU Zoonoses Strategy needed
The taking and implementation of sound risk management measures is a
pre-requisite to bring the disease under control and to stamp it out as quickly
as possible. To achieve optimal performance, all key actors must be working to a
well-rehearsed, pre-determined plan.
In the absence of a thorough EU-wide zoonoses strategy, I remain to be convinced
of individual Member States’ capacities to deal optimally with zoonotic
threats.
Preparation is, as we have learned, half the battle. An overall zoonoses
strategy should address issues such as co-ordination, surveillance, response,
investigation, reaction, culling, vaccines; the list goes on and on.
Communication
The third aspect of my personal reflection relates to communication with the
public. This is a key area but also a potentially troublesome one. For example,
the only solution to stamping out a zoonotic outbreak may be to cull millions of
animals, including citizens’ pet animals. How do you explain this to a public
which thinks that a vaccine or a pill is the cure for everything? This takes
skill and courage, and an amount of political risk. But it must be done.
All stakeholders need to be involved in the communications exercise – from the
political establishment right through to the person on the street.
Communication must be based on honesty and transparency. Even if the message may
be unpalatable, it must be delivered openly and consistently. All aspects of
communication must be clearly spelled out in the EU-wide Zoonoses Strategy and
in national contingency plans.
Vets and Doctors
The fourth dimension of my reflection that I wish to share with you concerns the
need for much greater co-ordination between the veterinary and medical
professions in the context of zoonoses control.
The rationale for the creation of my Directorate-General was to bring together
the public health veterinary and food safety experts under a unified system.
There has to be greater inter-action between our doctors and vets to facilitate
joined-up policy making. To bolster our public health function, I need to obtain
the agreement of the Luxembourg authorities to have even a small public health
presence in Brussels. In such conditions, pragmatic solutions have to be found.
I hope, in the interests of the common EU good, we can find a mutually
satisfactory solution so that we can develop a coherent EU approach to these
issues.
Also, very often in our Member States, the vets and doctors are separated into
Agriculture and Health Ministries.
At national level this needs to be recognised and adequate mechanisms put in
place to ensure synthesis of approach between the two professions at Government
level. Again this is something that the EU Zoonoses Strategy must address.
Pandemics
All of that said, it is one thing to speak of how to address an outbreak of a
particular zoonoses, however big.
It is quite another matter to address a pandemic brought about by the
convergence of human and animal influenzas, for example.
Here, we could be talking of the most devastating consequences. With the
experience of three flu pandemics in the last century (1918, 1957, 1968), we
could be on the eve of a 21st century calamity.
While we have witnessed the deaths of millions of animals in Europe over the
past couple of years, are we prepared for the deaths of 10 or 20 million of our
fellow citizens arising from the mutation of a human and animal virus that we
cannot control?
I do not want to be seen as a prophet of doom. But I am obliged to ring the
alarm bell as the European Commissioner for Health.
Plan against Pandemics
Political action in a most concerted way is needed to plan thoroughly and
adequately. This is essential in the Union and I have already launched the
process with the Commission’s ideas on pandemic influenza preparedness
planning.
Our document stresses the benefits of improved interaction between human and
veterinary influenza surveillance systems. We see the need to support a
Community reference laboratory network in this area. We propose a mechanism to
establish Outbreak Assistance Teams to be set up in collaboration with the
Member States and to compare and co-ordinate national influenza plans.
The plan also calls for urgent work on vaccines and anti-virals for influenza
that will involve industry and engage the Member States. The present situation
is not satisfactory and gives rise to concerns about readiness for the next
pandemic. Here again, more has been done on the veterinary side that can be
usefully emulated in the human health sector. In this regard, our citizens will
find it difficult to understand that we have a higher level of vaccine
preparedness for animals than for people.
Collaboration on zoonoses does not stop at the animal health and public health
realms, of course. Other sectors should weigh in, particularly those dealing
with emergency plans and with research. Our influenza preparedness plan makes
that clear.
We need also to recognise that we are not alone. We must be fully plugged in to
international strategies through the WHO, FAO, OIE and others.
On our own doorstep, we need to ensure that our emerging Neighbourhood Policy
– with countries in North Africa through the Middle East to the Urals –
takes full account of pandemic planning.
And, in this sphere, we need to communicate with our citizens. The risks must be
explained in a pragmatic and reasonable way. Strategies for vaccination must be
implemented thoroughly against human influenza strains. But we should encourage
awareness that a pandemic may not be controllable by vaccination alone.
Based on the Commission’s ideas, I want to develop, with the Member States, an
agreed planning strategy to deal with health threats, including pandemics.
This strategy must embrace :
a triggering mechanism for various actions
a communication strategy for coherent messages and information dissemination
a command and control structure for EU co-ordination
a threat mitigation and consequence management capability
an internal consultation mechanism
Work on this strategy needs to be accelerated.
Intensive Agriculture
Let me say a final word on animal rearing practices. In the agricultural sector,
greater account needs to be taken of the implications of intensive animal
husbandry practices. Public health policy needs to have a much greater role to
ensure human health protection.
Policies need to encourage a shift way from intensive rearing and to ensure the
adequacy of risk management measures at farm and production unit level. These
are issues that we also need to pursue at international level.
Conclusion
All in all, the issues brought into focus by this Conference are timely and
hugely relevant. Inadequate pandemic planning could lead to major human and
economic losses in Europe.
Sustaining and improving our very way of life into the future depends on the
protections we put in place today.
Thank you.
Trade
and imports of aquaculture animals
September 16, 2004
European Commission
Commission Decision 2003/804/EC ,amended by:
Commission Decision 2004/609/EC in OJ L 274 of 24.8.2004
Commission Decision 2004/623/EC in OJ L 280 of 31.8.2004
All documents available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/index_en.htm
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