Disease Information

22 December 2000
Vol. 13 - No. 50

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Virus SAT 1 (Follow-up report No. 2)

See also: 15 December 2000, 15 December 2000, 8 December 2000, 27 October 2000, 13 October 2000, 6 October 2000, 29 September 2000, 22 September 2000, 15 September 2000

Text of an e-mail received on 18 December 2000 from Dr Emily Mmamakgaba Mogajane, Chief Director, Agricultural Production, National Department of Agriculture, Pretoria:

End of previous report period: 11 December 2000 (see Disease Information, 13 [49], 229, dated 15 December 2000).

End of this report period: 18 December 2000.

The foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in a feedlot ("Arendsfontein") in the Middelburg District of Mpumalanga Province, which was reported on 30 November 2000, is still contained on the feedlot where it was detected and has not spread to any other property. It appears as if the vaccine administered from 1-3 December 2000 has succeeded in establishing sufficient immunity to limit the development of further clinical cases.

Following the virus sequencing results indicating that the SAT 1 virus involved is similar to the SAT 1 virus in the southern Kruger National Park (KNP), inspections and sero-surveillance in the area under suspicion were intensified.

Blood samples from two properties, Turfbult and Castilhopolis, tested serologically positive on 15 December, while epithelium samples from 4 out of 225 cattle tested positive for SAT 1 at the Thambokulu dipping tank.

New outbreaks:

Location	No. of outbreaks
Turfbult farm (25º 28' 18"S - 31º 52' 10" E)	1
Castilhopolis farm (25º 35' 23" S - 31º 58' 07" E)	1
Thambokulu dipping tank (25º 57' 25" S - 31º 53' 24" E)	1

All these farms had already been placed under quarantine on 30 November 2000.

Total number of animals in the new outbreaks:

species	susceptible	cases	deaths	destroyed	slaughtered
bov	1,301	15	0	0	0

Epidemiology:

A. Source of agent / origin of infection: suspected contact with infected buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and/or impala (Aepyceros melampus). Serum and probang samples of 45 impala in the control area adjoining the southern KNP were taken on 15 December and submitted to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute.

B. Mode of spread: under investigation. The area situated in the triangle of the borders between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland is within the routine FMD surveillance area. The mode of introduction is still being investigated but it is suspected that cattle were sourced from this area and sent to the feedlot at Arendsfontein.

Control measures:

- All cattle within the feedlot at Arendsfontein farm will receive a booster vaccination with the trivalent SAT vaccine as from 18 December 2000.

- All cattle and small stock in the new affected area will be vaccinated as from 18 December with the trivalent SAT vaccine.

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