FMD Breaks Out in Penghu Island

TAIWAN - The Taiwanese veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in an official animal quarantine establishment in Penghu.
calendar icon 7 November 2011
clock icon 2 minute read

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received an immediate notification on Friday, 4 November. The outbreak was first observed on 30 October and confirmed last week, on Wednesday (2 November). According to the report, a total of 200 pigs were found susceptible to the disease, out of which five cases were identified. While no deaths were recorded, eight of the affected animals were destroyed.

According to OIE, five of two hundred pigs were found with vesicular lesions in Penghu animal quarantine establishment after they were transported into Penghu Island from Taiwan Island. The incident was reported by the prefecture animal disease control competent authority and the five sick pigs with three other pigs in the same pen were immediately destroyed on 30 October 2011 after sampling.

The prefecture animal disease control competent authority traced back to the farm of origin in Taiwan Island. The investigation showed that all pigs on origin farm were clinically healthy.

The FMD vaccination programme has been resumed in Penghu Island since 27 May 2011. Enforced biosecurity measures including movement control, cleaning and disinfection are implemented in Penghu animal quarantine establishment.

The positive results of RT-PCR tests and virus isolation tests were provided by the national laboratory confirming that those pigs were infected with the foot and mouth disease virus serotype O.

According to the report, the establishment and those surrounding farms that keep cloven-hoofed animals (a total of one cattle/goat/deer farm, one goat/pig farm, 4 goat farms and 11 cattle farms within 3-km radius of the establishment) have been under vigilant monitoring and epidemiological investigation and no clinical or epidemiological evidence of infection has been found.

The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive.

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