Foot and mouth disease,
Japan

Information received on 20/04/2010 from Dr Toshiro Kawashima, CVO, Animal Health Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo , Japan

Summary

Report type Immediate notification
Start date 07/04/2010
Date of first confirmation of the event 20/04/2010
Report date 20/04/2010
Date submitted to OIE 20/04/2010
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 05/2000
Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
Causal agent Foot and mouth disease virus
Serotype Pending
Nature of diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to the whole country
Related reports

New outbreaks

Outbreak 1 Tsuno-cho Koyu-gun 2, MIYAZAKI
Date of start of the outbreak 07/04/2010
Outbreak status Resolved (20/04/2010)
Epidemiological unit Farm
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Cattle 16 3 0 16 0
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics
Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Cattle 18.75% 0.00% 0.00% 100.00%

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

Epidemiology

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
  • Unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments A private veterinarian first found a suspicious case in the affected farm and reported it to the local government’s veterinary service on 9 April 2010. An official veterinarian observed that a cow had fever, anorexia, salivation and erosions in the oral cavity on the same day but the others had no clinical signs. Since other two suspicious cases were found in the same farm on 16 April, the veterinary service examined similar diseases such as bluetongue, bovine viral diarrhoea-mucosal disease (BVD-MD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and Ibaraki disease but they showed negative results by PCR tests on 19 April 2010. The veterinary service submitted the samples to the National Institute for Animal Health (NIAH) on the same day. The NIAH affirmed the cattle were infected with foot and mouth disease virus by PCR test on 20 April 2010. The samples are being examined by virus isolation. If it is confirmed, it will be the first outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Japan since 2000.
All cattle in the affected farm were destroyed. Disinfection of affected premises is being implemented. Movement restrictions within 10km around the affected farm have been implemented. Export international veterinary certificates for ruminants and products derived from them have been suspended since 20 April 2010.

Control measures

Measures applied
  • Stamping out
  • Quarantine
  • Movement control inside the country
  • Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
  • Vaccination prohibited
  • No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied
  • Screening

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type National Institute of Animal Health (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species Test Test date Result
Cattle reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 20/04/2010 Positive

Future Reporting

The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Map of outbreak locations

Location of current outbreaks

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