Notifiable diseases Flashcards
1
Q
What are the reasons for a disease being notifiable?
A
- Internation trade
- Public health (but not always zoonosis)
- Animal welfare
- Wider society
- Due regard for cost to the community and availability of appropriate solutions
2
Q
Describe the list of Human Notifiable Infectious Disease UK
A
- Medical practitioners have statutory duty to notify the “proper office” at local council or local health protection team of suspected cases of certain diseases
- Aims to detect outbreaks of disease and epidemics as rapidly as possible
- Some are zoonoses that are not notifiable when affecting animals
- Includes syndromes as well as disease agents
3
Q
What actions are required following identification of a potential zoonotic disease?
A
- Report to APHA
- e.g. FMD, duty VO discuss case over phone, must stay on farm, movement restrictions effective immediately samples sent to lab, farm declared Suspect Premises
4
Q
Describe Rinderpest
A
- AKA cattle plague
- Eradicated globally in 2011
- Morbillivirus, closely related to: measles, canine distemper, pest de petit ruminants
- Affects ruminant and swine
5
Q
Describe peste de petit ruminants
A
- Goat plague (affects sheep and goats)
- Morbillivirus
- fever and depression, severe discharge from eyes and nose, coughing, diarrhoea, death
- Does not usually kill goats and sheep, does cause severe disease and loss of production
- Spreading to Greece and Turkey
6
Q
Describe Classical Swine Fever
A
- Aka hog cholera, pig plague
- Pestivirus
- Transmitted in bodily fluids and tissues of sick or dead animals
- Vertical transmission outcome depends on strain and stage of gestation
- Congenital infection can be persistently viraemic, shed for 6-12 months before dying
- Fever, huddling, blotchy skin lesions, convulsions and death
7
Q
Describe African Swine Fever
A
- Asfaviridae
- Sub-saharan Africa, Sardina, Caucasus, Northwest Russia
- Severe disease, high mortality
- (Sometimes bloody) V/D, reddening/darkening of skin (esp. ears, snout), gummed up eyes, laboured breathing and coughing, abortion, still births, weak litters, weakness, unwillingness to stand
- Spread by direct contact, faeces, body fluids, fomites, Ornithodoros ticks
8
Q
Describe Capropoxvirus
A
- Poxviridae
- Lumpy skin disease
- Spread to Greece and other parts of Eastern Europe, now under control and spread prevented
9
Q
Describe Foot and Mouth Disease
A
- Apthavirus (picornavirus)
- Quick mutation
- Survives 1 month in environment
- Transmitted on fomites and wind
- Can cause sub-clinical to severe disease
- Some concern over zoonosis (not shown in practice)
- Vesicles/ulcers in mouth, on tongue, feet, lameness, fever, markedly reduced production
- Pigs produce large amounts of virus as aerosol
10
Q
Outline the steps following suspicion of an FMD case
A
- Report to APHA by telephone, discuss with duty VO, visit to farm
- Sample taken, sent to Pirbright, farm declared “Suspect Premises”
- Formal confirmation by Chief Veterinary Officer, informs OIE and EU, reports regularly to both
- England loses FMD free status, exports of cattle and cattle products stop (min. from within control zone)
- Protection zone, surveillance zone and restricted zone put in place
11
Q
Where is the protection zone in an FMD outbreak?
A
Minimum of 3km radius from the IP
12
Q
Where is the surveillance zone in an FMD outbreak?
A
Minimum of 10km radius from IP
13
Q
Where is the restricted zone in an FMD outbreak?
A
National movement ban across GB
14
Q
Describe the requirements placed on suspected premises of FMD
A
- Warning/keep out signs
- Records of animals, bedding etc on site
- Isolation of animals
- Prevention of movement of animals and any movements on and off farm that may spread infection
- Disinfectants at entrances and exits
- Rodent control
15
Q
Describe the requirements placed on infected premises of FMD
A
- Restrictions imposed on premises remain in force
- Susceptible animals humanely culled
- Carcasses disposed of and preliminary disinfection carried out on farm
- Epidemiological investigation continues to establish where the disease came from and where it may have spread
16
Q
Describe carcass disposal in FMD
A
- Normally commercial incineration, rendering or licensed commercial landfill
- Ensure on-farm pyres or mass burial not used in future (but cannot be ruled out if demand exceeds capacity of preferred disposal options
17
Q
Describe pre-emptive culling in FMD
A
- Animal Health Act allows culling of animals NOT exposed to FMD infection where at risk
- Only where disease control (slaughter) protocol published, vaccination considered
- Vaccination preferred, aim to avoid pre-emptive culling
18
Q
Outline the requirements placed on contact premises in an FMD outbreak
A
- If high risk: premises considered dangerous contact, animals culled
- If low risk: premises and animals under restriction, health status monitored for 3-4 weeks from last known contact with IP, sampled on epidemiological basis
19
Q
Explain what is meant by contact premises in FMD
A
- Premises where disease may have come from or spread to
- Can arise through: movement of animals, people, farm equipment, vehicles, slurry/manure, geographical location
- When contact premises identified, assessment made about level of risk (high/low)
20
Q
What are the impacts of an FMD outbreak?
A
- Significant economic costs to farmer and government
- Welfare culling if movement restrictions prevent access to food
- Employment of temporary staff
