OIE Reports FMD Outbreak in Caprivi
NAMIBIA - The Namibian veterinary authorities have reported two outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Caprivi, affecting cattle.The presence of the FMD virus (serotype not yet confirmed) was confirmed on 5 August. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received follow-up report no. 1 on 19 August after two non-structural protein ELISA tests were carried out at the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek on 9 August and at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in South Africa on 16 August.
The first outbreak occurred on 8 August. According to the report, out of 706 susceptible animals, 13 cases were reported. The OIE reports that one kraal of 156 cattle was inspected whereby two had fresh ulcers on their tongues and 11 had old healing ulcerative lesions. This kraal was last vaccinated for FMD in March 2013.
The second outbreak took place on 13 August. A total of 1525 animals showed signs of susceptibility, out of which 14 cases were reported. According to the OIE, two kraals in Masikili had respectively eight and six cattle that showed suspicious recovering FMD mouth lesions. One of these kraals was also infected in the last outbreak in 2011. Masikili area was vaccinated for FMD in February 2013 and again in June 2013.
The OIE reports that the outbreaks have occurred in the foot and mouth disease infected zone where there are free roaming wild African buffaloes which are long term reservoirs of the FMD virus.
Note by the OIE Animal Health Information Department: This event is outside the officially recognized free zone and does not change the FMD free zone status of Namibia.
Contact with wild species has been identified as the main cause of the outbreaks.
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