43RD GENERAL SESSION OF THE EuFMD
ROME 17-18 APRIL 2019
Item 3 Transboundary disease risks in the European region Situation report, co-ordination arrangement and priorities for future actions to reduce risk Document provided: Summary paper including Key Messages Presentation: Appendix 5 Key message - The presence and regular re-occurrence of Foot and Mouth Disease and Similar Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAST) in countries neighbouring to European borders represents a constant risk of introduction and FAST spread into Europe. Actions aimed at improving the surveillance and control in European neighbourhood can reduce the risk and provide more timely information to risk managers. - FMD is present in the European neighbourhood with different serotypes and lineages circulating. The increased animal movements driven by seasonality, climatic conditions, social and economic factors enhance the risk of FMD spreading towards EU borders, as demonstrated by the genotyping results of the isolates delivered to international reference laboratories from different regions. - Improvements have been recognized in countries of South East Europe and East Mediterranean that have tackled with the PCP. The instability of some countries such as Libya and Syria remains a problem connected to the reduced capacity of FAST control and increased animal mobility across the borders with improved risk for the regions and beyond. - North Africa has been affected by different FMD serotypes and lineages in the recent years that showed trans-Saharan connections between North and West Africa and increased risk for Europe. The situation in Algeria has been recently complicated by the co-circulation of Peste des Petits Ruminants. - Implementation of vaccine control strategies for LSD and PPR in the European neighbourhood have contributed to improve the control of the diseases that still represent a threats for free European countries as showed by the events occurred in the recent years in Bulgaria, Greece and in the Balkans. - Results of modelling studies considering different factors showed that sustained Rift Valley Fever transmission outside the endemic regions (e.g. in North Africa and South East Mediterranean) is real if introduction events coincide with optimal conditions. - There has been increased frequency of epizootics of Bovine Ephemeral Fever in Middle East during the past 20 years and it will remain a threat with the potential to cause significant economic losses in Turkey, Middle East and also European countries. - Early detection systems and improved regional expertise in epidemiology and laboratory diagnosis together with increased availability of vaccines and assessment of their performance can improve the capacity to FAST detection and better response.
Dr Rosso provided the presentation on the regional risk situation (Appendix 5). The summary paper and presentation showed that the presence and regular re-occurrence of Foot and Mouth Disease and Similar Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAST) in countries neighbouring the European borders, represent a constant risk for introduction and FAST spread into Europe. Actions aimed at improving the surveillance and control in European neighbourhood can reduce the probability of FAST spreading towards European borders. Furthermore, the constant monitoring of the epidemiological situation can provide relevant risk information and contribute to increase awareness on major animal disease threats. He highlighted the following: -
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) o Implemented control strategies have contributed to reduce the seroprevalence and number of outbreaks (382 outbreaks detected in Turkey in 2018 with only one serotype circulating and no outbreaks in Transcaucasus countries and Turkish Thrace). More than 900 outbreaks still occurred in the I.R of Iran in 2018 with three serotypes circulating (A, O, Asia 1), thus presenting risks to Turkey and the Transcaucasus countries.
43rd General Session of the EuFMD:: 17-18 April 2019 : :Rome - Italy
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