Intro

Question 1

1. What is a notifiable disease?
2. How many notifiable diseases are there?

Answer 1

1. Any disease required by law to be reported to Government authorities.
   UK – A disease named in section 88 of the Animal Health Act 1981 or an Order made under that act.
2. 44.

Question 2

1. What does endemic mean?
2. What does exotic mean?

Answer 2

1. Diseases present in UK all the time.
2. Diseases that pop up in the UK every so often.

Question 3

1. Why are diseases made notifiable?
2. Reasons why we don’t want diseases to spread.

Answer 3

1. To prevent their further spread.
2. International trade.
   Public health.
   Animal welfare.
   Wider society.

Question 4

How do notifiable diseases affect international trade.

Answer 4

Once ND identified and declared, many countries will refuse to accept animals or animal products until situation resolved.
Many Export Health Certificates require confirmation of freedom from ND.

Question 5

How do NDs affect public health?

Answer 5

Some NDs are zoonotic.
e.g. Anthrax, Avian Influenza, BSE, Bovine TB, Brucellosis, Echinococcus multilocularis, Equine Viral Encephalomyelitis, Glanders and Farcy, Newcastle Disease, Rabies, West Nile Fever.

Question 6

How do NDs affect animal welfare?

Answer 6

Severe pain e.g. FMD.

Question 7

How do NDs affect wider society?

Answer 7

• Restrictions on farms impact other businesses.
  e.g. contractors, pubs, restaurants, tourism, abattoir, vets, feed merchants.
• Negative reactions from general public to certain animal products e.g. beef during BSE outbreak.
  – Knocks on to economy.
• National reputation can suffer.

Question 8

Found ND, now what?

Answer 8

• Stay on farm to prevent spread of potential ND.
• Notify APHA of suspicion of ND ASAP.
• APHA vet on duty discusses case with you.
• APHA vet sends Veterinary Inspector to premises if still suspicious if ND.
  *They give advice in meantime on what to do next e.g. restrictions etc.
• If presence of ND confirmed:
  – APHA carry out further investigations to establish how long disease been present and whether it has spread.
  – Further restrictions placed.
  – Disease control zones may be put in place.
  – Susceptible animals may be culled.
  – APHA also notify additional organisations:
  –> Local authorities, European Commission, World Animal Health Organisation.

Question 9

Top tips for reporting ND.

Answer 9

• Confirm what was said – get email of person you’re talking to and write email to confirm.
• Know your spp. – Helps to rule out other differentials and help back-up decision to report.
• Be compassionate – Stressful for all.
• Advocate for animals in your care – Step in if necessary as APHA vet may not be as experienced with the spp. involved as you are e.g. with handling.

Question 10

What are control zones?

Answer 10

Legally defined areas where specific rules are in force which aim to prevent disease spread.
Variable dependent on disease.
Based around the geographical location of the Infected Premises (IP).
Inner circle (3km radius) is the Protection Zone.
Further circle (10km radius) is the Surveillance Zone.

Question 11

How do we maintain Disease Free Status?

Answer 11

• Make disease notifiable.
  – education and awareness of symptoms and biosecurity measures.
  – Contingency planning.
  – Movement restrictions and/or culling.
• Surveillance.
  – Active (targeted) e.g. TB testing.
  – Passive (scanning) e.g. carcass and sample submissions to labs, slaughterhouse surveillance i.e. PM inspection.
• Trade Requirements.
  – Prevent imports from infected countries.
  – Pre-export health checks.
  – Quarantine of animals or products.