March 24, 2011
 

Russia experiences FMD outbreak

An occurrence of type O FMD was found in Ust Imalko settlement of the Ononsky Rayon of the Zabaikalsky Krai (18 kilometres from the Mongolian border) on 16 March.

The settlement is located in the zone of vaccination against FMD established by the Russian Official Veterinary Services along the borders with China and Mongolia. The disease was originally detected in five backyards and it is now reported in more than 10 backyards.

Preliminary diagnosis was made by specialists of the Official Veterinary Services for the Zabaikalsky Krai and laboratory confirmation was provided by the National Reference Laboratory for FMD.

The disease was detected when it had already affected five backyards and its clinical signs were detected in 25 animals from approximately 1700 cattle, 2300 sheep and more than 70 swine kept in the outbreak area. The most probable reason for the disease outbreak is that the virus was introduced to Russia by wild animals when there were gaps in vaccination of susceptible animals. The assumption was indirectly confirmed by the fact that 5000 gazelles came from the territory of Mongolia.

It may be assumed that the disease was not recognised at the beginning or the backyard owners concealed the disease from specialists of the Official Veterinary Services of the Krai.

The Official Veterinary Services have imposed quarantines and are taking measures to contain the disease now. The situation remains serious because more than 20,000 susceptible animals are kept in the zone of immediate threat.