.
- 18 -
the result of a humoral antigen-antibody reaction; they appear after seconds, minutes and seldom with a delay of more than 6 to 8 hours. Heart and circulatory disturbances develop, and may be lethal if prompt and expert treatment is not applied. Allergies of the delayed type, reflecting a cell-bound reaction, constitute the majority of allergies in this connection and are responsible for most of the rising trend. They are characterized mainly by wet excema of the skin which appears from· a few days to as much as three weeks- following revaccination. Investigations on these problems have been extended to cover the whole country and Government scientists are working in close collaboration with the vaccine production institutes. It is too early to give final conclusions, but preliminary findings indic ate that losses are extremely low in relation to the large amount of vaccine applied to cattle. According to general opinion in the Federal Republic of Germany, the obligatory annual vaccination should continue. However, it is possible that in two states vaccination will be discontinued for animals which reach three years of age, on the assumption that by that stage they will have built up a good basic immunity. Eastern .Germany 1968.
It was understood that only three outbreaks had occurred, all in the spring of
Austria There has been no foot-and-mouth disease in Austria during the past year thanks to strict sanitary controls over importation and frontier vaccination. From 8 November to 18 December 1968, importations from Yugoslavia were prohibited because of outbreaks in the border area, and on 19 November this probibition was extended to Hungary. In the zone adjoining Yugoslavia, 50 thousand cattle and 2,700 small ruminants were vaccinated at a cost of A.s. 700,000. Along the frontier with Slovakia, 2 1 600 cattle and 100 small ruminants were similarly protected at an approx imate cost of A.s. 30,000. In a radius of 15 km around the Federal Institute for the Control of Virus Diseases in �omestic Animals, 6,000 cattle and 1,000 small ruminants were vaccinated as in.previous years, at a cost of A.a. 147,000. Meanwhile, 5,000 cattle and 1,300 small ruminants sent to summer Alpine pasture in Italy and Germany were protected in the same way at a cost of A,s. 40,000. With regard to importations, special conventions exist with certain countr�es including Yugoslavia, Roumania, Bulgaria and Hungary, detailing the requirements for live animals to be imported or to transit through Austria. When no convention exists, a special permit must be issued by the Central Veterinary authorities. Imports con sist mainly of pigs and boneless beef from Australia and New Zealand. Switzerland Switzerland was free of foot-and-mouth disease from December 1966 until December 1968 when the disease was discovered amongst 412 pigs at a piggery in Sion in the1 Canton of Valais. Due to a delay in reporting the case, secondary outbreaks had already begun to appear and inten�ive movement of people and animals implied that there had been rather extensive spread. Altogether, 21 livestock units in the Valais and one in Vaud became involved and 271 cattle, 487 pigs, 5 goats and 3 sheep had to be slaughteredQ In most of the cases, a direct connection could be established with the first outbreak. The last case was recorded on 25 December. In addition, a single clinical but unconfirmed case, was found in the Canton of Thurgau. Refuse or garbage which could have contained imported meat from South America was the suspected source.
in Cairo to assist in the foot-and-mouth disease pro&'I'amma and one of its 1 ,ain oh�:,;:;--U ves will be to develop vaccine production.
fil The Secretary General of the OIE Permanent Commission on Foot-and-Mouth Disease :::.=:·viewed ·n-,a role of OIE in relation to foot-and-mouth research. Every effort was made to ensure close collaboration with FAO, and its various Committees. At the meeting held in Paris, November 1968, a broad review was made of the developments in various as�ects of foot-and-mouth disease research and, at the same ti me, to identify ea:ps in current knowledge. Discussions were based on a questionnaire which had been distributed as a working document to participants previously. Dr., Hoosbruger summarised the conclusions of this very im!)ortant meetine-, which referred to serological characteristic8 of the v irus, culture methods, development of immunity foJ.lowing ncdnation, ;;iost-vaccinal reactions and epizootioloey. The minutes and full conclusions had already been dis�ributed�
III.
CAUPAIGHS AGAINST FOOT-AND-IJOUTH DISSASE IN SOUTB EA.STERN EUROPE AH'D AUATOLIA
The maintenance of buffer zones had been dealt with during the discussion of the position of Foot-and-Fauth Disease in Europe (�eported Item II, Grei:ice, Bulgaria, Turke;\'). The Commission reviewed and a,:,riroved th(} vrork reported in document 16/69/3, civen in �endix 4. The decision not to use tbe small amount remaining in t1).e emercency reserve for further v-aocine :::mrchases uncler present circumstances ,,ni:s cm�sed buteffor s o sec re 2.<fdi tiona.T vaccine from other-riources were welcomed.. Te Chairman reported that the F'ederal Republic�rGerrnany lia aGT9ed to donate 160,000 doses of.monovalent type O vaccine if the cost of transport and insurance could be met. The Commission aereed to cover these ex,enses. The Com:-�ission was also pleased to note the prov-ess made toward the initiation of the l�mP/SF project, beine developed by FAO, for the A.nJ.:ara Institute as \Yell n.s the efforts beine made 'bj· the Turl:ish authorities to continue vri th their ovm resources the buffer zone 1,ro_?'ft:?".c11e in '!'hr1ce aimed mainly at tl:.e ::,:rotection of 3u:ror,c, des::,i te the. fa.ct that !' this �one :t:1s been free of foot-:>.nd-mouth discn.se sir.ce lfovc:nber 1967 •
'::'his a.7::::ears 2.s /.:ppenrlix 5 of the Sessio!"l re::,ort. In int:.-oducing this itom tr'e Cl:l'iirrian drew attention to t::e cro·,vinc scope of activitiec beinc undertaken by tl:e Secretariat, es:'.)ecia.11:,· in Turkey, t::e !-rear 3:P.st and_ Central Euror,e as \'Tell as tr..rou0h contacts with ot),er rart:::; of the •t;orld. The pros_:-;ect that :S:u�e:2.ry rnr-1.�• soon bccon.:e a mer.iber of the Cor.rnis:::ion v,as ·:;clco::-ied. a.nd it ·:;[:.s (1(.Tcsd t:!1at t:r.e :·e::ibersl:iri subsori,t:i.o�could, if necensary, be rai:i in r.?.. ti �nal currency.
-
-
The Chn.ir��n alf',o ::;u,".'_7a:tized tl::e reriort (publisr_ed on a f.leparate i8sue) of the r:ieetinc of trA Rcscirch Grcu;i of the Standing Technical Committee held at the State 7eterin3.ry Institute, Lind:!::.olm, :De:rH:1?.r::.:, from 17-19 Septe:nber 1968. He a:!.so cx::;res:-,er� t!:e Cor.:rnii::sicn 's a:r;1reci9. tion Tor tlie e:zctSllenc e of the T.'1.cilities :provided 2.nd v;orl: done. D1.:rin;- the discussion, reference was made to tte ;ire-clinical spread of virus. It was concluded. that ·::!1.ile the e:::::;,eri::icntal evidence w:2s irrefutable, exr1erie11ce in field co!"ltrol r,ro;:;r�n.:r.1es had. shm•m that such srirel'..i vras not overwhelmincly iM::,orts.nt c.nd :;,r0b�bly occurred onl;r under very u:-iur:ual circurr.st;:,.nces. An a�end,"l'lent to the Grouu I s reco'.':l!n.endn t.ion concern in.::; restrictions on the r.10,;er::en-t of sl!!.u.0:iter ·stock er :T!e2.t fron rcreri.s where exotic strc'.ins had occurred, or ·,·:here vacci11a tio:1 a.'.7Lbr:t t�rnm 2ad been carried out, '!as a,:iproved. At the suecestion
---�-------�
- 28 .. of the Exeputive Comr.tittee tbe .Paro.graph 5 b) of the Group's Report will therefore read. "'iVhere vaccination is practised a similar restriction should apply for 3 I!lonths from the date of vaccination without prejudice to the requirenents established in Paragraph a) above". It was acreed that t ·s should be re,,.a as a "".lideline for member countries (Appendix • · The question of the reaction of young animals to vaccination was also di'scussed ::1.nd �he majority opinion appeared to be that calves d.id react to v.:i.ocine but to a much·lower antibody level than did adults. It was agreed that the q_uestion of vaccination requirements for young stock, for which a Movement Certificate is to be issued, should be considered by the Rese�rch Group. The Research Group's plan to hold its next meeting at Brescia from 24 - 26 September 1969, was ap9roved. The Agenda was adjusted to take into account the various matters raised by the Commission and will be as follows: 10
Immunizine power of vaccine (a) the PD 0 which must be contained in one5cattle dose (b) variation with the age of the an:i.m:l.l (c) correlation of antibody level with protection
2.
Production of virus in monolayer and suspension tissue culture
3.
Anapbylaxis
4.
Sub-types - a situation report.
A draft paper prepared at the req_uest of the Executive Committee, concerning the procedure for dealing with outbreaks of disease due to exotic types of foot-and mouth disease virus, anui n par cular wi-E'llthe question of stock piling vaccines and seed. virus, was considered and approved by the Commission. It appears as 'Appendix 7 to this re,ort. Future Activities The future activities of the Co�lI!lission and the Secretariat as outlined in the E..�ecutive Committee's Report, were approved.
v.
lll1DGET AlID AIJCOUfTS
The budget and accounts as shown in Appendices 8 and 9 were a.::.:iproved by the Session. It waL- noted that the budget reflected the increased contributions which had become payable by all member countries. Despite certain increases in costs there would be a small surplus for s2ecial expenses. VI.
ELECTIONS
On the rroposal of the Dele�tion of the United Kingdom, seconded by the Delegation of the Netherlands, Dr. Christi an Werdelin (Dennark) was unanimously re-elected Ctairm�n for the next year by the Commission. On the proposal of the Delegation of Irelarrl, seconded by the Dele.:;ati on of �witzerland, Mr. J. Reid (United Kingdom) and !.!.r. R. Gaier (Austria) were unanimously re-elected as Vice-Chairmen for the next year by the Commission.
- 55 JPPENDIX V
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
General activities The activities of the Commission since the XVih Session (26-28 March 1968) have followed the ·programme of work initiated in 1962 when participation in the campaigns against exotic foot-and-mouth disease in eastern Europe began. Although handicapped by the lack of a full-time Secretary during most of 1968, the Commission was able to carry out its regular work in conformity with the provisions made for it in the Constitution, thanks to the special efforts of Dr. Eichhorn and Miss Guarino. Contact was maintained between the Secretariat, the Chairman and Member Governments on important sanitary and administrative issues, meetings were arranged and attended, information was sought on foot-and-mouth disease in Europe and all activities relating to the campaigns against exotic foot-and-mouth disease in south eastern Europe and Anatolia were sustained. Plans have been prepared for an extension of the Commission's work to encompass new tasks which have arisen as a result of continued progress in the control of foot and-mouth disease, as well as from additional epizootiological information on areas of particular concern to the Commission, such as the ·Near East and Africa, which could serve as sources of new exotic or classical strains of the virus.
In Nay 1968 the Chief, Animal Health llranch of i'.AO, was approached by the "Committee of Inquiry on Foot-an(i-Mouth Disease", investigating the recent epizootic on preven-tive ru1d control in Britain, to prepare a paper .t was agreed that a joint memorandum measures. should be prepared by Dr. E. A. Bi�hhorn, former Director of the Pan American Foot and-Mouth Disease Centre and presently Deputy Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, Dr. G. M. Boldrini, Secretary of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and Dr. P. R. Ellis, former Chief of Field Services, Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Centre and Consultant, Animal Health Branch, FAO. Dr. Ellis also met with the Committee to answer questions after the document had been presented.
WM/86347