Foot-and mouth disease attacked cattle of Egypt. Yesterday, it was announced by Veterinary Medicines Directorate in the Egyptian governorate of Al Gharbyia that dozens of cattle died, having got infected with the epidemic. Samples were taken from a ranch in the Egyptian city of al-Santa and were proven positive. Reda al-Sheshtawy, a ranch owner, was reported to have informed the Veterinary Medicine Directorate of the deaths of dozens of cattle at his ranch. In no time, a committee that included members from the Directorate as well as members from the Secondary Lab of Animal Health Research took samples from the ranch animals and sent them to Animal Health Labs. Results of the labs confirmed that the tested animals did have the foot-and-mouth infection. On the other hand, it turned out that the ranch owner had brought non-immune calves which carried clostridium microbe. The poor man's intention was to breed these calves. Lest the disease should spread; especially as it is summer, the Directorate has taken extensive actions to keep the ranch concerned under close examination.
However, the Directorate confirmed that no more deaths occurred and the rest of the animals inside the infected ranch were in a good condition. In the Egyptian governorate of Al Fayoum, General Director of Veterinary Medicine, Mahmoud Gouda Akel, feared mutation of the foot-and-mouth disease, pointing out that the available vaccine to be for immunization might not be effective in case of mutation. He also stated that, Al Fayoum's Veterinary Medicines Directorate had received several reports from citizens in Al Fayoum as well as Tamyia cities informing the infection of a number of livestock. As a result, committees were sent to the two cities in order to examine the infected animals and give them the anti-serum for the disease. At the same time, Minister of Agriculture, Amin Abaza, decided to set up a scientific committee consisting of virus professors in veterinary colleges. The aim of that committee should have been the examination of the camels kept at Veterinary Quarantine in the Egyptian city of Shalatin. These camels were suspected to have been infected with the disease. It was also decided that, the committee would continue to be formed until committee members made sure the camels were identified as being infected with the disease or not. Dr. Yusuf Mamdoh Shalabi, Head of the Central Department of Veterinary Quarantine of the General Authority for Veterinary Services, said he decided to maintain the camels' quarantine. He said as well that, they would take samples from these camels, pointing out that it was just a suspicion of infection. He continued to say that camels were animals with a considerable resistance to the disease. Had the camels been proven to have been infected, that would have been an unwelcome scientific turn, he added.
