FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN FRANCE

See also: 30 March 2001, 23 March 2001

(Date of last previously reported outbreak: 1981).

Emergency report

Translation of synthesis of three e-mails received on 13, 14 and 16 March 2001 from Dr Isabelle Chmitelin, Deputy Director General, General Directorate for Food, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Paris:

Report date: 13 March 2001.

Nature of diagnosis: clinical and laboratory.

Date of initial detection of animal health incident: 12 March 2001.

Outbreaks:

Location No. of outbreaks 
Mayenne department 1 
Description of affected population: dairy cows and young bulls.

Total number of animals in the outbreak:
species susceptible cases deaths destroyed slaughtered 
ovi 114 6 0 114 0 

Diagnosis: following the discovery of six cattle presenting a clinical picture suggestive of foot and mouth disease (FMD), samples were taken and the six cattle were immediately slaughtered.

Laboratory where diagnostic was made: AFSSA (French food safety agency), Maisons-Alfort.

Diagnostic tests made: complement fixation, ELISA, cell culture.

Causal agent: FMD virus; serotyping in progress.

Source of agent / origin of infection: the animals became infected after having been in close proximity to sheep imported from the United Kingdom. The imported sheep, kept in a holding 500 metres from the affected establishment, were slaughtered and then destroyed (as were in-contact animals) on 27 February 2001. They had originated from British outbreak No. 11 (Llangaron, Herefordshire).

Control measures during reporting period:

As the first results of tests were positive, the 114 dairy cows and young bulls present in the establishment were all slaughtered during the night of 12 to 13 March and then destroyed in situ by incineration.

In addition, two pig farms (a total of 2,000 animals) within the zone of potential airborne spread of the virus were slaughtered and destroyed as a precautionary measure on 14 March 2001. Furthermore, consignments of gilts which left these two farms on 27 February were traced to seven holdings, which were then placed under the surveillance of the Veterinary Services and the consignments of gilts were destroyed.

The triggering of the FMD alert plan by the Prefecture of the Mayenne led to the setting up of protection (3 km) and surveillance (10 km) zones around the affected establishment in accordance with Community and national provisions.

A decision by the European Commission was given a favourable opinion by the Standing Veterinary Committee (SVC) of the European Union on 13 March. It comprises two parts:

The departments of Mayenne and Orne are subject to measures identical to those in the United Kingdom: ban on the movement of live animals of susceptible species (ruminants, pigs), their genetic material (semen, ova, embryos), and animal products derived from these animals (unless these products have been obtained from animals slaughtered before 16 February or from animals raised and slaughtered outside these departments, or if they have been treated in such a way as to inactivate the FMD virus). It is also is made compulsory for all vehicles used to transport animals in these departments to be systematically cleaned and disinfected after each use.

All other metropolitan departments are subject to a ban on the movement of live animals of susceptible species and their genetic material (shipments to other Member States or exports to third countries). Furthermore, vehicles collecting milk from holdings with animals of susceptible species must be cleaned and disinfected before leaving the department.

This decision, which will be formally adopted at midnight on 14 March 2001, will remain in force until 27 March. It will be reviewed at a meeting of the SVC on 20 March in light of changes in the situation.

*
*
Translation of an e-mail received on 16 March 2001 from Dr Isabelle Chmitelin, Head, International Health Coordinating Mission, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Paris:

Report date: 15 March 2001.

Protection measures against foot and mouth disease implemented in France:

Drastic control measures on susceptible animals imported from the United Kingdom: detection of farms involved, euthanasia of imported animals and in-contact animals, serological testing.

Temporary control measures on the movement of animals of susceptible species and of equine species throughout France

1 - Measures relating to animal at risk

1.1	- Veterinary investigations

From 21 February 2001, an investigation, based on the ANIMO system, was carried out into the movements of animals of susceptible species imported into France since 15 January 2001. The data thus obtained revealed 23 establishments that had been first recipients of sheep from the United Kingdom. These establishments, located in 17 French departments, received 60 consignments, totalling 19,660 sheep. The investigation into the movements of these animals within France from the first recipient centres enabled us:

to determine that approximately 10,000 animals were slaughtered before 21 February: the corresponding carcasses were detained and either destroyed or sent back to the United Kingdom;

to identify 58 establishments holding sheep originating from the United Kingdom (of the 23 first-recipient establishments, 22 were still holding sheep of British origin; 36 establishments received such animals as second recipients). No movement relating to other susceptible species was identified.

Furthermore, the results of an investigation carried out by the Dutch Veterinary Services on movements of sheep from the United Kingdom that had been imported into the Netherlands after 1 February 2001 and re-forwarded from the Netherlands to other Member States helped to identify a further 19 farms in 14 French departments that had received animals "at risk": 37 consignments of sheep, totalling 9,372 animals, were thus imported.

Thus, sheep from the United Kingdom were delivered to 25 French departments.

The following preventive measures have been implemented in all the establishments holding animals "at risk":

establishment placed under quarantine and clinical examination of all the animals present;

euthanasia in situ of all sheep from the United Kingdom and of all animals of susceptible species having been in contact with animals of British origin;

burial in situ or incineration of the cadavers of euthanised animals;

blood samples taken from 10% of the euthanised animals of British origin (with a minimum of 30 samples per consignment) and samples sent to AFSSA (national reference laboratory) for serological and virological testing;

animals of non susceptible species present in establishments where euthanasia measures have been applied are confined for a period of 7 days after the last animal was euthanised;

1.2	- Results of the investigations in progress (as of 14 March 2001).

To date, 36,502 animals (17,861 sheep and 1 pig, all from the United Kingdom; 18,098 "in contact" sheep; 428 "in contact" cattle; 114 other "in contact" animals) have been euthanised;

A total of 4,709 blood samples have been taken and the first results received from AFSSA (on 13 March 2001 at 6 p.m.) reported:

2,402 negative samples;

362 serologically positive samples from 22 establishments which had held sheep from the United Kingdom.

The definitive results provided by AFSSA enabled surveillance in respect of 62 "serogically negative" holdings to be lifted after disinfection.

The 22 aforementioned "serogically negative" establishments are situated in the following 13 departments:

Department No. of establishments No. of euthanised animals from the United Kingdom "in contact" animals 

Aisne 1 900 sheep** 19 sheep 
Cher 3 233 sheep 1,643 sheep and 46 cattle* 
Isère 1 42 sheep 
Loire-Atlantique 1 30 sheep 190 sheep 
Loiret 1 2,539 sheep 1,410 sheep 
Mayenne 3 769 sheep 523 sheep, 1 cattle and 3 pigs 
Oise 3 291 sheep 1,700 sheep 
Pas-de-Calais 4 608 sheep 
Rhône 1 42 sheep 45 sheep, 80 cattle and 40 pigs 
Seine-Maritime 1 201 sheep 
Seine et Marne 1 400 sheep 1400 sheep, 30 cattle and 12 pigs 
Seine Saint-Denis 1 810 sheep 
Vienne 1 346 sheep 2,220 sheep and 10 cattle 

Samples were taken from 2 cattle that presented clinical signs suggestive of foot and mouth disease: the results were negative (serologically and virologically negative).

** This establishment no longer held any sheep of British origin.

All susceptible animals were euthanised. Furthermore, prefectorial orders declaring and delineating a 3-km exclusion zone around these holdings were issued in the affected departments.

Results of reported clinical suspicions

Since the setting up of intensified surveillance for FMD, 42 clinical suspicions have been officially reported to the Veterinary Services in 31 departments. To date, all the results of tests have been negative.

2	- Measures aimed at controlling animal movements.
2.1	- Measures relating to departments in which positive serological results have been obtained.

From 4 March 2001, prefectorial orders placing restriction measures on animal movements were issued in the departments concerned:

ban on the movement and transport of animals of susceptible species;

within a 10-km radius of establishments where positive results have been obtained, implementation of the following restrictions:

ban on animal gatherings (markets, fairs, exhibitions), whatever the species;

ban on the transport of any animals (whatever the species);

ban on animals of susceptible species entering or leaving the delimited zone;

identification, isolation and quarantining of establishments holding animals of susceptible species;

disinfection of vehicles and containers used for the transport of animal cadavers, milk, meat and other material capable of transporting the virus;

ban on artificial insemination;

setting up of facilities to disinfect the wheels of vehicles and the shoes of personnel in establishments at risk (abattoirs, rendering plants, dairies, cattle feed storage depots, etc.);

setting up of a separate milk collection circuit for farms situated in the intensified surveillance zone.

2.2	 Territory

The movement and transport of animals of susceptible species (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and other bi-ungulates) and equids in France has been prohibited by ministerial decree. These restrictions cover national movements, exports, imports and the transit in France of animals from other countries.

The transit of slaughter animals in collection centres and the circuits for collecting animals from various establishments before they are taken to the abattoir are also prohibited.

However, movements from livestock-rearing establishments directly to a French abattoir or to an abattoir situated in another Member State are authorised. In the case of movement from a French establishment to a French abattoir, the animals must be moved under cover of a sanitary movement permit (LPS: laissez-passer sanitaire). In the case of direct movement from a livestock-rearing establishment to an abattoir situated in another country, transportation is authorised on condition that the animals are accompanied by a sanitary certificate for slaughter animals and are taken directly to the abattoir of destination.

The importation of slaughter animals into France is also authorised on condition that the animals are accompanied by a sanitary certificate for slaughter animals issued by the Veterinary Authorities of the country of origin and that they are taken directly to the abattoir to which they have been consigned situated in France or in another country.

Furthermore, with regard to equids, measures providing for derogations to the ban on movement and transport have been adopted, subject to the movement being notified to the Veterinary Services of the departments of departure and arrival and the implementation of the prescribed disinfection procedures for vehicles, equids and accompanying personnel.

These conditions also apply to equids from other countries imported into France: notification of importation is to be made to the Veterinary Services of the department of destination in France.

Furthermore, any transit of equids in France is authorised subject to the following conditions being respected:

no unloading during transport;

only major trunk roads to be used;

cleaning and disinfection of vehicles before animals are loaded.

In addition, for equids from the United Kingdom, the animal transporter must be able to provide a disinfection certificate.

These equids must be acompanied by a sanitary certificate stating that they have not been in a protection or surveillance zone during the 14 days prior to the certification date.

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