Egyptian authorities race to contain fallout from fatal telecom fire    Egypt's electricity, public enterprises ministers discuss expanding renewables in energy-intensive industries    Escalation in Gaza as ceasefire talks remain fragile amid mounting humanitarian crisis    UK, Egypt strengthen cooperation on green transition, eco-tourism, and environmental investments    Egypt's bourse, clearing house say settlement, connectivity unharmed by Ramsis blaze    CPME shareholders approve EGP 2.8bn acquisition of Qardy, Catalyst Partners Holding    Philippines' unemployment rate falls in May '25    Gold prices dip on stronger US Treasury yields    Egypt, Somalia leaders discuss strategic partnership, counterterrorism in New Alamein    Egypt, UNDP discuss expanded cooperation on medical waste management, human development    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Egypt's PM, Uruguay's president discuss Gaza, trade at BRICS summit    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt, Norway hold informal talks ahead of global plastic treaty negotiations    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's EDA joins high-level Africa-Europe medicines regulatory talks    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Will it mutate?
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 29 - 03 - 2012

Foot and mouth disease in Egypt could turn into something more serious, reports Reem Leila
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) issued a report on 22 March stating that at least 6.3 million buffaloes and cows as well as 7.5 million sheep and goats in Egypt are at risk of foot and mouth disease. According to the report, the animal population in Egypt is in urgent need of vaccines to keep the new strain of foot and mouth disease (FMD) under control.
The vaccine takes up to two weeks to provide immunity for animals. Since 26 February, more than 51,044 animals are suspected cases in Egypt, while 7,000 animals, mostly calves, have already died. Some 22,970 animals have survived the virus while the remaining 28,074 are still under medical treatment.
The FAO report stressed the fact that Egypt has some reserves of its own vaccine, but ones that do not protect against the SAT-2 strain because they are for the A and O strains. "The country could need the support of regional countries in importing more effective vaccines," FAO report stated.
Urgent action is needed to control the outbreak of the disease throughout the country. Mohamed El-Senousi, professor of animal health at the Faculty of Agriculture in Cairo University said the Sat- 2 strain might mutate if a vaccine is delayed in reaching the country. "Egypt's livestock has no immunity at all against the new strain recently discovered in Egypt. If they are not immunised against the new strain, it might mutate. Also if safety measures are required to limit the spread of the virus are not properly applied a mutation is possible and could spread among North Africa and Middle East countries, thus leading to a food shortage," El-Senousi warned.
The spread of FMD among many of the country's animal population has led to an increase in prices of red meat, poultry and fish. The public has been trying mightily to deal with the price hikes.
Until now, farmers and livestock owners still get rid of dead animals by dumping them in tractors and trailers then on the side of the road. El-Senousi said carcasses of animals should be buried according to bio-safety measures, deep in the soil. On top of the soil, farmers must put quicklime in order to stop the spread of the virus among healthy animals.
FMD could be fatal. Osama Selim, head of the General Authority of Veterinary Services (GAVS), said the new strain of the virus spreads quickly among animals, unlike other strains. Selim said the government must apply anti- contamination measures. At the same time, he denied allegations that the virus spread drastically decreases in summer. "The spreading of the virus remains the same whether in summer or winter. The fact is that wind speed in summer is less than winter," said Selim.
Moreover, the virus is found in animal residues such as urine, stool and saliva where summer heat helps in speeding up the spread especially since animal residues are usually left in the streets, added Selim.
At the same time the head of the Veterinary Doctors Syndicate Sami Taha blamed the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation for the spread of the virus among the country's animal population. "Livestock imported from Ethiopia were sick with the virus so our animals became infected.
"Also cattle smuggled from Sudan and Libya, as the government claims, were carrying the virus," said Taha. Any delay in importing the vaccine, according to Taha, might allow the virus to mutate. This mutation might expose the country to a plague similar to that which happened back in the 1970s when Rift Valley Fever spread among Egypt's cattle, causing serious economic losses to the country.
Head of Central Veterinary for Agriculture Quarantine of Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Youssef Shalabi, denied rumours that the country's cattle became infected with the virus from imported livestock. "All imported cattle are healthy and void of any contagious virus," said Shalabi. The virus, according to Shalabi, is decreasing in Alexandria, Fayoum and Minya governorates. "Recovery has exceeded 45 per cent," he added.


Clic here to read the story from its source.