ITEM 9. PROGRESS REPORTS ON FMD CONTROL PROJECTS IN THE REGION

ITEM 9. Progress reports on FMD control projects in the region

9.1) Annual Tripartite (on control of FMD and other exotic diseases in the Southern Balkans) The Meeting was held on 5th October, in Istanbul, and was attended by Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, with FAO, EuFMD, OIE and EC, and WRL representatives; the Session was briefed on the main points of discussion and conclusions by Dr Georgiev (Bulgaria)(Appendix 15). The representatives of Greece and Bulgaria were pleased with the progress reported by Turkey, and the plans to submit a dossier for FMD freedom with vaccination, for Thrace region. Regarding other diseases, a commitment to report any exotic disease (FMD, SGP, PPR, BT, CSF...) was made, should these occur in mainland or island areas which neighbour the territory of one of the other states. A new report (of BT on Lesbos) was provided by Greece. The meeting also agreed that in 2010 the Meeting should be a wider meeting, of Balkan region vet services, preferably arranged by FAO under Gf-TADS for Europe.

9.2) FMD control in Turkey Dr Askaroglu, CVO Turkey, provided a progress report (Appendix 16) on the Turkish FMD control program, including the implementation of actions supported by the EC under EuropeAid TR 06 03 02. He presented data indicating an overall much reduced incidence of FMD in 2008-9. Turkey remains endemic for types A and O, but Asia-1 has not been recorded since 2002. No outbreaks of FMD have been reported from Thrace region in 2008 or 2009, an improvement over the previous two years (6 outbreaks in 2007), and in line with the target of achieving 24 months without reporting (or circulation) of FMD in order to apply for official recognition of zonal FMD free status with vaccination at OIE; with the intention is to submit the dossier by December 2009 with the hope of recognition in May 2010. One hundred and thirty six outbreaks were reported in 2009, of which 102 were confirmed and serotyped (42 type A, 60 type O). Two type A sublineages are circulating in Turkey, AIran05 ARD07 and ERZ07, although in one case in South-Eastern Anatolia close to Iraq border, an isolate of the BAR08 lineage was detected. Turkey has therefore largely escaped the regional epidemic of A Iran 05 BAR08 that affected many near-east countries and reached to Libya in Spring 2009. A decision had been made in 2008 to switch to A TUR 06 in the 2009 vaccination campaigns. The lack of cross-protection with A Iraq22 vaccine in 2008 may be the reason for the higher incidence of type A in 2008, compared to 2009. A new type O genotype was also detected from august 2008; termed O PanAsia II: TER-08, with 4% sequence change compared to the previous PanAsia II. The origin of the new variants was not clear, but presumed to be entries from the East (Iran, Syria, Iraq).

Control of FMD in Thrace region is largely through the twice yearly FMD vaccination programme in large ruminants, and once yearly in small ruminants; trivalent (A, O, Asia-1) vaccine from Merial is applied in both large (LR) and small (SR) stock. Vaccination coverage was 94% (LR) and 102% (SR) in spring 2008, and 96% (LR) in autumn 2008, rising to 96% and 92% respectively in spring 2009. Effectiveness of vaccination was monitored by sero-survey; 68%, 95% and 96% of 600 sera from Marmara region were positive for types O, A and Asia-1 (at 1/100 dilution, LPBE test). Import of live animals from Anatolia into Thrace region is not allowed, except during Kurban-bayram festival; at the latter time a separate animal market is established in Istanbul, for animals from other parts of Thrace region (to control the possible return of unsold animals) and from Anatolia. The 2009 sero-survey in Thrace region (9,278 animals, 152 villages) returned only 10 positive samples; follow-up investigations (with >300 samples collected) indicated these were false positive findings, and it was concluded that there is no evidence of FMDV circulation in Thrace region in the recent past. Control of FMD in the rest of Turkey (Anatolia); with support of the EC project, FMD vaccination percentage has risen to its highest level (21.4m doses delivered in 2008); in 2009 this will include national small ruminant vaccination (in autumn), which has not happened before; in 2008 SR populations in some areas of north and south coasts were excluded from the program. The spring coverage in LR was 89% (8.7m of 9.8m).

The national sero-survey, conducted with same design as 2008, indicated a higher sero-prevalence (10% compared to 8.27% in 2008). The reasons for the slight rise were not explained, and differ from the reduced reported cases each year since 2006. The possibility exists that under higher vaccination coverage, fewer FMD are reported, but circulation occurs in young animals which are preferentially sampled in surveys. Sero-surveys are generally considered a more accurate guide to FMD incidence than passive reporting, and therefore these results indicate that FMD circulation remained widespread in east and central Anatolia in 2008-9.

Discussion:

The Committee noted with appreciation the progress to submit a dossier for FMD freedom with vaccination in Thrace region to OIE, but noted that the disease in the past in this region was usually the result of epidemics in Anatolia. The improved vaccination coverage in Anatolia, including national campaign in sheep and goats for the first time, should decrease the risk to Thrace, and Europe. Concern was expressed on lack of use of booster vaccination in calves, and on the lack of incentives for small farmers to actively cooperate in FMD control after an outbreak. This problem needs to be addressed as it is a sine qua non for future success.

Recommendations

These are combined with those of the International Risk Item 4.

9.3) FMD control in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan (Transcaucasus countries - TCC); progress of the EUFMD/EC supported program of in the buffer zone

9.3.1) Report on the actions under EuFMD/EC agreement The agreement with the EC for the current Phase (2.7m US$ of support via the EC TF) ended in July 2009, following the 4th vaccination campaign; a report on this campaign, the risk situation, and final actions was provided by Dr Carsten Potzsch (EuFMD Consultant) (Appendix 17). The spring buffer zone (BZ) vaccination and the national campaigns outside the BZ are completed. In Georgia the spring vaccination campaign was carried out only in Adjara A/R, using EC/FAO vaccine.

Table 1: Percent vaccination coverage (reported) for spring vaccination 2009, until July; average and range (in brackets) on rayon level Vaccination campaign Azerbaijan Armenia * Georgia (on marz level)

Buffer zone, cattle 99 % (88-100 %) 133 % (87 – 149 %) 36 % (0-59 %) Buffer zone, small ruminants 19 % (0 – 26 %) 98 % (51 – 130 %) 4 % (0 – 91 %) National, cattle 99 % (77 – 100 %) 138 % (109 – 150 %) 0 % National, small ruminants 18 % (0 – 43 %) 97 % (0 – 152 %) 0 % * for Armenia revaccinations are included in the table above and in Annex I.

New data were available from Nagorny Karabakh and the average vaccination coverage achieved in the spring campaign is 79 % for cattle (range: 48 – 84 %) and 47 % for small ruminants (range: 0 – 103 %). The most recent sero-surveys in Armenia and Georgia indicated in the former a satisfactory coverage (an average 73%, 78% and 84% with SP antibodies to type O, Asia-1 and A respectively, in the results of IZSLER, Brescia), but in Georgia vaccination had only occurred only in Adjaria A.R, and only this part of the buffer zone recorded high % SP-seropositives (>60% all districts). Analysis of the NSP results (and review by the Research Group) gave no evidence that impure vaccine was the cause. In time, the high % NSP found in surveys reflected the epidemic situation in Iran and Turkey, and the high % positive could be attributed to trade and informal movements, followed by some circulation without reporting of clinical signs.

9.3.2) Report of the review of the EuFMD/EC support to FMD control in the TCC, 2007-9 The end of project review had been conducted by Johannes Fiedler (JF) and Jorgen Westergaard (JW), independent consultants, in July-August 2009. They visited Georgia for a review meeting with the national consultants in July 2009; JF had previous assisted with the FMD field simulation exercise in April for the three countries, a first for the region and presented the findings and their report is provided in Appendix 18. Their conclusions were that the project had enabled significant progress in several key areas of FMD control, in Armenia and Azerbaijan, although the situation in Georgia remained of high concern. The three countries had not reported FMD outbreaks in this period, although sero-surveillance results indicated exposure to FMD in both border and internal areas. The project had established capacity for serosurveillance (PCP Stage 1: NSP serology) in each country. A first field-based simulation exercise had occurred in April but response capacity, particularly in Georgia, remained of concern. Government commitment was variable, high in ARM and AZB but low in GEO; the former were prepared to continue the current high national input (national vaccination) but this was not the case in GEO, where EuFMD had been asked to support both in vaccine and in implementing vaccination. Their main recommendation was that the programme for strengthening of FMD prevention and emergency response capacity in the TCC should continue, with a new 3 year program but with revised objectives, operational management and a clear commitment of the countries concerned. The support should also promote progression in the regional roadmap, towards achieving Stage 3, in which each detection of infection is followed by response to contain infection and prove absence of further circulation.

Discussion

Questions were raised concerning the position of Georgia. The restructuring of the Veterinary Service to only 126 staff, and the inexperience of staff to manage a changing environment for service delivery, the instability in the country and dislocation of service between Ministries, together affect decision making and ability to implement policies. JF stressed the need for training and longer term development of staff. The CVO Turkey suggested harmonizing timing of vaccination although others were of the opinion that vaccination prior to movements was critical (e.g. to/from summer pastures), and that the buffer zone as originally intended has not separated the populations, and therefore for the future the direction should be to assist them to put into place better monitoring/surveillance and emergency response capacity (vaccine reserves). The Chairman considered that continued support to countries that had actively supported FMD control was correct, and that for GEO, they may yet change their position, provided we do not change ours. The way forward, it was agreed, was to offer supply of vaccine to a certain amount, and make agreement with interested parties on the best use of this support, ahead of each campaign. AEF considered that the key risk point was to “block infection” in the region of Armenia/Naxichevan, so that eve if GEO does not attempt to control FMD, together with the campaigns in Turkey, significant risk reduction should be achieved. JF raised the point that in AZB, pig populations are kept close to abattoirs that handle imported cattle, and this may be a risk point to be addressed.

Conclusion

There is a low but continued FMD risk to Turkey and Europe relating to the TCC countries, justifying the extension of current support.

Recommendations

1. A new project support document should be developed, and negotiated with the countries and the EC, taking into consideration the conclusions of the review of the 2007-9 program; 2. Given the risk associated with lack of vaccination in Georgia, access to an emergency reserve of FMD vaccine is urgently needed; the Secretariat should agree with the EC on the arrangements.

9.4) FMD control in Iran: progress of the EuFMD/EC supported program to improve FMD surveillance and control The Phase II support is due for completion in December 09. The 6 monthly progress report was provided by the national project Co-ordinator (Dr Khalaj) (Appendix 19). The Secretary visited Iran in September to review the slow progress on some actions, including the difficulties to achieve a twinning program 13