Zimbabwe Reports Three New FMD Outbreaks
ZIMBABWE - The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has reported three new outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD).
23 June 2010
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The Zimbabwean veterinary authorities sent follow-up report no. 1 dated to 22 June 2010 to the OIE. The report states that FMD virus serotype SAT 2 is present in the country.
According to the report, the three outbreaks took place in the province of Matabeleland South. The affected population consists of cattle.
The first outbreak occured on 1 June. Three cases were identified while 75 were susceptible to the disease. No animals were destroyed.
The second outbreak took place on 4 June and 17 animals were found affected while 1180 showed susceptibility to the disease.
The third outbreak, which also took place on 1 June, affected six animals and 1345 were found susceptible to the disease.
Contact with infected animal(s) at grazing/watering has been identified as the primary cause of the FMD outbreak.
An antibody detection ELISA test held at the Zimbabwe Central Veterinary Laboratory revealed positive results.
Further, a virus isolation test was again carried out at the OIE's reference laboratory, Botswana Vaccine Institute, confirmed the presence of the FMD SAT 2 virus in the region.
