Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 20:07:23 +0100
From: GRIOTMED <griot@freesurf.ch>
Source: OIE disease report, 1 Dec 2000 [edited]
West Nile Virus Surveillance in Horses in France for the Year 2000
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Since no case of West Nile fever had been detected in France since 3 Nov
2000, the corresponding health control measures were lifted on 30 Nov 2000
in accordance with European Commission Decisions Nos 2000/689/EC and
2000/552/EC, and the French Ministerial Order of 15 Dec 2000.
The total number of animals affected in the epizootic, which can be
considered as having finished in view of the climatic conditions and the
time of year, is as follows:
-- Herault Departement: 35 horses;
-- Gard Departement: 16 horses;
-- Bouches-du-Rhone Departement: 3 horses.
Between 4 Sep 2000 and 15 Nov 2000, the National Arboviral Reference Centre
(Pasteur Institute, Paris) received 141 requests for West Nile virus
serological tests for clinically suspect horses, 19 for bovines, 8 for goats
and 9 for other animals (camel, dog, etc.). Since confirmation of the first
case of West Nile encephalitis in a horse on 8 Sep 2000, 54 cases of West
Nile encephalitis in horses have been confirmed by IgM serology tests by the
Pasteur Institute.
No human cases have been reported.
The virus identified in September is similar by phylogenic analysis to
viruses isolated from horses in Morocco in 1996, in Italy in 1998 and from
mosquitoes in Senegal in 1993.
Epidemiological surveys are under way and will be continued until their
completion:
(1) Study of the impact on the local avifauna: this includes a serological
prevalence study of 4 species of sedentary wild birds and of domestic or
sentinel birds, as well as a virological study of dead birds.
(2)Serological studies of horses in the outbreaks and in a 10-km zone around
the outbreaks (surveillance area). So far 1648 sera out of the 4815
collected have been tested (IgG) and 229 positive results were obtained.
These first analyses mainly concern the Gard and Herault Departements. All
IgG-positive results are being tested for IgM. Of the first 170 sera to be
confirmed, 76 (44 percent) were also IgM-positive.
All movement restrictions measures applied to equids were lifted on 1 Dec
2000.
(Translation of extracts from a fax dated 10 Jan 2001 from Dr Isabelle
Chmitelin, Deputy Director General, General Directorate for Food, Ministry
of Agriculture and Fisheries, Paris).
--
GRIOTMED
<griot@freesurf.ch>
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