© The State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries 2014

Vet Watch

October 2014

Editorial

Each day DEPI receives information from veterinarians and laboratories around the state about the disease situation in Victoria. With this information we monitor the current situation, provide evidence of disease freedom so our farmers can export local produce, and detect and respond to emerging disease issues such as Theileria in cattle. We also produce pub lications for you like Vet Watch. We want to do more, and will soon be handing you the microphone.

We want your feedback

During the next month DEPI will be asking you, our Vet Watch subscribers, to tell us how we can improve this newsletter. We would love to hear your opinion on what you like to read about, what DEPI services are useful, even what is simply frustrating you! Have a think about what DEPI can do for you, and keep an eye on this space for survey details.

Training that really pays off

“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them" – it is unlikely that Aristotle was thinking about foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) when he quoted that line, however it is remarkably relevant to the disease. Early detection is crucial in limiting the spread of an FMD outbreak, but with most producers and vets having never seen the disease, we may find it is some weeks before an outbreak is detected.

Vet Watch

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Animal health and welfare information

for Victorian veterinary practitioners is

available at VetSource

Contents

Editorial 1

Feedback wanted! 1

FMD training 1

Livestock abortions 2

Theileria update 3

Across the nation 3

Around the world 4

SDI program 6

What’s happening 6

Figure 1: Would you identify this cow as

FMD-infected?

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please email: vet.watch@depi.vic.gov.au with Unsubscribe as the

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But don’t despair, welcome to the EuFMD Real-Time Training Program… With over 100 participants from across Australia having already received training (and more to follow!), the program is building a solid base of FMD experience – strengthening Australia’s early warning and response capacity. Course participants spend one week in Nepal, a country in an up -hill battle against the disease. Intensive classroom-based training is followed by field visits to investigate suspect outbreaks, collect information, age lesions and take samples, and analyse movements in order to trace the source and spread of the infection. These practical skills are vital to planning and conducting a successful response should the disease occur in Australia. Upon returning, participants undertake activities to share their learnings, contributing to veterinary, producer and community awareness and understanding of FMD. The program is helping to build a core of veterinary professionals, trained by first -hand experience in FMD-endemic countries. Should we come to face-to face with the disease on our own shores, we can breathe slightly easier knowing our response capacity has improved with each returning participant.

Figures 2 and 3: Cow from Figure 1, mouth lesions (~5 days old) (left), hoof lesions (right).

You have the opportunity to participate too, if you are routinely working with FMD-susceptible livestock and are willing to travel overseas, work with FMD in real-time, and return to share your newfound knowledge and skills with your colleagues and farming community. Many industry organisations, including the Australian Veterinary Associated, have been invited to nominate vets to participate – get in touch with those you work with to find out more.

Livestock abortions

Since 2010 DEPI has recorded almost 500 cases of abortion in Victorian livestock. Cattle abortions account for the majority of reports although we have also received word of abortions in sheep, horses, pigs, goats and alpaca. As you would expect, occurrence of abortion follows production cycles, with cattle abortions peaking multiple times throughout the year while sheep abortions peak during winter but remain relatively quiet for the remainder of the year (Figure 4). What tends to be the culprit? In cattle who abort, neospora or bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infections are most commonly found, followed by theilerosis and salmonellosis. Every so often Aspergillus, Arcanobacteria or Streptococcus are isolated. In sheep, listeriosis and campylobacteriosis are diagnosed most

Figure 4: Investigations into abortions in

Victorian livestock, 2010 – 2014 (Sept)

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often, followed by the odd toxoplasmosis. Reports of horse abortions are often associated with Equine Herpes Virus 1. If this year follows trend, we can expect it to be fairly quiet on the abortion front for the remainder of 2014. In approximately 40 per cent of abortion cases we fail to reach a final diagnosis but eliminate a few of the listed causes in the process. Did you know? Improper or inadequate sample selection and collection contributes to the low diagnostic success of abortion investigations. If you cannot collect and send the fresh foetus, complete with placenta and maternal serum, a necropsy can be performed. Include aseptically collected stomach or abomasal contents (most agents infect the placenta, especially bacteria and fungi, enter the amniotic fluid and are swallowed by the foetus), heart or body cavity fluid (to test for antibodies to BVDV, neospora or leptospirosis), fresh and fixed tissue, placenta (the hideout for many fungi and also Coxiella; make sure it’s kept separate) and don’t forget the dam’s serum! If in doubt, contact the laboratory pathologists for guidance.

Theileria update Theileria has cropped up again during September after high-than average rainfall a couple of months prior. While we all now have a good idea of the disease distribution and farm management, we would still like to keep an eye on the situation. Please report any suspected or confirmed cases of theileriosis to your local DEPI animal health staff member. Even a farmers phone call, where you didn’t see or treat the animals yourself, can assist in the ongoing study and management of the disease.

Across the Nation…

Russia bans Australian agricultural exports

As of August 6, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has imposed a year-long ban on imports of specified

agricultural products originating from countries including Australia. Meat and dairy projects are just some of

the goods affected. For more information visit: http://www.daff.gov.au/about/media-centre/russian-ban-

agricultural-exports

Locally acquired Hepatitis E infection

New South Wales health has reported an outbreak of Hepatitis E associated with consumption of

undercooked Australian pork. Hepatitis E is a viral disease of humans generally seen in parts of Africa and

Asia with a mortality rate of 1-4%, and up to 20% in pregnant women. It is the only known hepatitis virus with

animal reservoirs, with domestic swine and wild boars the main reservoir. While it is known that Hepatitis E is

present in some Australian swine, infection in humans has, until recently, been attributed to overseas travel

and exposure. To read more about the New South Wales outbreak, visit:

http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/news/media-releases/mr-11-Sep-14-warning-Hep-E-pork-

liver#.VCpDrmJJN8G

Australia bat lyssavirus detected in Northern Territory

Australian bat lyssavirus has been detected in the Northern Territory for the first time since 1997. While

Australia is lucky to be free of rabies virus in domestic animals, this is a reminder that we do have a related

virus capable of causing the same clinical disease in our flying fox populations. More information about the

NT detection can be found at:

http://www.health.nt.gov.au/Agency/News_Archive/Bat_Lyssavirus_detected_again_in_NT/indexdl_5666.asp

x.

Figure 6: Location of Theileria case reported September 2014

Figure 5: Location of Theileria case reported

September 2014

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Around the World…

South Korea (Republic of Korea) reports foot and mouth disease outbreak

Only months after declaring freedom from foot and mouth disease

(FMD), South Korea experienced a new outbreak of the disease.

Infection in a 1500 head swine herd was reported to the World

Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on 24th July 2014, with

another two pig farms subsequently detected. Control measures

applied include quarantine, destruction of infected animals,

movement controls, and vaccination. The outbreak was declared

resolved on 4th September.

This is a timely reminder of the FMD-risk from infected countries

with trade links to Australia. In 2010, the last time South Korea

experienced a foot and mouth disease outbreak, the former

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services (AQIS) found

illegally imported pig meat from South Korea. We are incredibly

fortunate that activities such as illegal swill feeding did not

result in an outbreak of the disease in Australia.

Origins of HIV-1

Some interesting research has taken place into the early spread of HIV, outlining how social change and

transport networks were involved in the viruses establishment populations today. To read the article, ‘The

early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations‘, visit:

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6205/56. .

Ebola crisis in West Africa worsens

The outbreak of Ebola virus continues to ravage

West Africa with the World Health Organization

(WHO) reported 6553 probable, confirmed and

suspected cases of Ebola virus including 3083

deaths .

While media is reporting a US Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention prediction of 1.4

million cases, this projection is a worst-case

scenario and with increased resources now

pouring into the region, the outbreak should be

nowhere near as large. Whatever the total

figure, the delay to detection and the slow

mobilisation of resources has thought to have

contributed to the size of the epidemic and the

devastating loss of life. Read more about Ebola

virus modelling at:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su

6303a1.htm?s_cid=su6303a1_w.

Figure 8: distribution of Ebola virus cases in West Africa

Figure 6: Location of Rep. of Korea’s first

FMD cases since 2011. Source: OIE

Figure 7: distribution of Ebola virus cases in West Africa. Source: WHO Situation

report 3rd

October 2014

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MERS coronavirus outbreak continues

With the world focused on the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, cases of Middle East respiratory

syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continue to be reported. According to WHO data released on 2nd

October, there have been 853 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, including at least 301 deaths. The

last confirmed report occurred in two Kingdom of Saudi Arabia citizens on 7th October.

MERS-CoV is an emerging pathogen closely related to Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and all

human cases to d ate have been linked to the Arabian Peninsula. Infection in humans is associated with

severe respiratory symptoms and renal failure. The reservoir and mechanism for MERS transmission is still

unknown but both bats and camels are implicated. Recent studies have found antibodies to the virus in

African camels as far back as the early 1990s.

Figure 8: Distribution of MERS-CoV infections by week of reporting. Source: European Centre for Disease

Control and Prevention, Epidemiological Update 02 Jul 2014

Another new deadly influenza virus emerges in Asia

A deadly new strain of highly pathogenic avian

influenza has been detected in China and

Vietnam. The new strain, H5N6, was first

reported in the Southern Chinese province of

Sichuan in April this year after a man contracted

and died from the virus following contact with

poultry. An outbreak of the disease in poultry

was subsequently reported in the same province

and birds were destroyed.

Since then, Vietnam and Laos have reported

outbreaks of the disease, with has reported

several outbreaks of H5N6 in two provinces

located in the north of the country, and China

has reported another outbreak.

Although this is not the first time H5N6 has been

detected in globally in poultry, previous strains have been low

pathogenicity, not highly pathogenic like the current outbreaks.

At this stage little is known about the new virus.

FMD Watch

Latest outbreak in South Korea is

highlighted in red. FMD remains

prevalent in much of Africa and Asia. For

more information of the latest disease

outbreaks across the globe, please visit:

http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.p

hp/Diseaseinformation/WI.

Figure 10: OIE member countries’ official FMD status map. Source: World Animal

Health Information Database (WAHID)

Figure 9: Location of confirmed H5N6 outbreaks. Source: EMPRES-i (FAO)

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Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) program

The Victorian Significant Disease Investigation (SDI) Program aims to boost Victoria's capacity for the early

detection of such diseases in livestock and wildlife by increasing the participation of veterinary practitioners

and subsidising the cost of investigating significant diseases.

Subsidies are available from the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) for the initial field

investigation, including clinical and post-mortem evaluation, laboratory testing and a follow-up investigation

of significant disease events in livestock and free-living wildlife. A subsidy is also available for cattle, sheep,

goat and pig owners to reduce their costs when they engage a veterinary practitioner to undertake a

significant disease investigation.

For more information about the DEPI subsidies for significant disease investigations and reporting, please

contact DEPI Animal Health staff at your nearest DEPI office, telephone the DEPI Customer Service Centre

on 136 186 or visit the DEPI website

What’s happening out there?

Emergency and Exotic Animal Diseases - Bulletins and Alerts – for the latest edition of DAFFs’ EAD alerts.

For international disease updates, visit:

GLEWS (Global Livestock Early Warning System): http://www.glews.net/

OIE/WAHID database: http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=home

FAO/EMPRES: http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/home.asp

FAOSTAT agriculture - production, consumption and trade of agricultural commodities:

http://faostat.fao.org/site/339/default.aspx

FAOSTAT - detailed world agricultural trade flows:

http://faostat.fao.org/DesktopModules/Faostat/WATFDetailed2/watf.aspx?PageID=536

Tailpiece

What happens to a frog's car when it breaks down?

It gets toad away.