Disease Information
6 April 2001
Vol. 14 - No. 14
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN IRELAND
Additional information
See also: 23 March 2001
Text of a fax received on 3 April 2001 from Dr Michael Colm Gaynor, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Dublin:
Report date: 1 April 2001.
On 22 March 2001, the first outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) for 60 years was reported in Ireland (see Disease Information, 14 [12], 66, dated 23 March 2001). Additional information on the outbreak is given below. So far, there have been no further outbreaks of FMD.
Location of the outbreak: Broughattin, Proleek, County Louth (see map).
Total number of animals in the outbreak:
species susceptible cases deaths destroyed* slaughtered ovi 447 8 ** 0 447 0 bov 113 0 0 113 0
* culling was on 20 March for the affected batch and on 22 March for remaining animals.
** 8 ewes of a batch of 97 ewes with 98 lambs.
Diagnosis: on 20 March 2001 eight ewes were found to present ulceration of the dental pad, hard palate and the inside of the lip. Five of these ewes were also lame. The lesions were thought to be 3-5 days old.
A. Laboratory where diagnosis was confirmed: Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright, United Kingdom (on 22 March 2001).
B. Diagnostic tests used: antigen capture ELISA(1) and tissue culture.
C. Causal agent: FMD virus type O.
Epidemiology:
- Following confirmation of FMD in a sheep flock in the United Kingdom / Northern Ireland(2), 2 km from the border with Ireland, a part of County Louth, Ireland, was declared a control zone on 1 March 2001. The suspicion of FMD in Ireland was first notified on 20 March, during a routine veterinary inspection of flocks within the 10-km surveillance zone of the outbreak in the United Kingdom / Northern Ireland. Extensive investigations have taken place into the possible source of the outbreak in County Louth. There had been no animal movements within the previous month. The tracing of people and vehicles is ongoing and two potential human contacts are being investigated.
- The possibility of wind-borne infection from the outbreak in the United Kingdom / Northern Ireland, 9 km away, cannot be ruled out but is unlikely.
- Based on serological evidence, the estimated date of introduction is between 25 February and 1 March.
Control measures:
a) Movement controls:
A nation-wide ban on animal markets had been imposed on 23 February, after the confirmation of FMD in the United Kingdom. A nation-wide ban on all animal movements had been imposed on 28 February, with movements direct to slaughter allowed under permit from 6 March.
When the outbreak of FMD was confirmed in the United Kingdom / Northern Ireland, close to the border with Ireland, a protection and surveillance zone was established on 1 March along the border with the United Kingdom / Northern Ireland adjacent to the outbreak, in compliance with European Union Council Directive 85/511.
The outbreak in Ireland was thus confirmed within the zone in which movement controls were already in place on animals, animal carcases and other animal products. The zone was extended southwards following the confirmation of outbreak.
b) Cull of susceptible animals:
- The infected holding was slaughtered out, and the carcases buried in situ.
- A pre-emptive cull of all susceptible species within 1 km of the infected premises took place.
- In addition, the culling of all sheep(3) within 3 km of the infected place took place immediately thereafter.
- Further culling of sheep(3) and wildlife in areas considered to be at risk has also taken place and has now been extended as a precautionary measure to the whole of the peninsular area in which the outbreak took place.
Up to 1 April, 26,801 sheep, 600 cattle, 123 goats, 55 pigs and 15 deer have been killed in the protection, surveillance and cull zones in County Louth.
Surveillance:
Serological surveillance is being carried out in contact sheep flocks and contiguous flocks to the confirmed infected premises, and in sheep flocks which may have received sheep imported from other countries currently infected with FMD. Serological surveillance is also being carried out in cattle, deer and other susceptible species.
To date, 101 reports of suspicions of FMD have been investigated. In the case of 24 of these, FMD could not be ruled out, and tissue and blood samples were sent for testing to Pirbright Laboratory. Aside from the one case itself, none have been positive.
(1) ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
(2) See Disease Information, 14 (10), 42, dated 9 March 2001.
(3) The cull has concentrated on sheep due to the experience of the behaviour of the FMD virus strain of type O currently circulating in Europe. This strain has a low morbidity within sheep flocks, and clinical signs are difficult to detect.
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