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1. Anthrax Confirmed in Equine in Uvalde County [TX]
Texas Animal Health Commission News Release
August 11, 2015
AUSTIN- The first Anthrax case in Texas for 2015 has been confirmed in equine in Uvalde County. The premises is located approximately 25 miles northwest of Uvalde. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has quarantined the premises. TAHC rules require proper disposal of affected carcasses and vaccination of livestock on the premises prior to release of the quarantine.
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including certain parts of Texas. (It is not uncommon for anthrax to be diagnosed in the southwestern part of the state.) A vaccine is available for use in susceptible livestock in high risk areas.
Acute fever followed by rapid death with bleeding from body openings are common signs of anthrax in livestock. Carcasses may also appear bloated and decompose quickly. Livestock displaying symptoms consistent with anthrax should be reported to a private veterinary practitioner or a TAHC official. If affected livestock or carcasses must be handled, producers are encouraged to follow basic sanitation precautions such as wearing protective gloves, long sleeve shirts and washing thoroughly afterward to prevent accidental spread of the bacteria to people.
"The TAHC will continue to closely monitor the situation for possible new cases across the state. Producers are encouraged to consult their veterinary practitioner or local TAHC office if they have questions about the disease in livestock and their medical professional if they have concerns about anthrax exposure," said Dr. T.R. Lansford, TAHC Assistant Executive Director for Animal Health Programs.
For more information regarding Anthrax, contact your local TAHC region or call 1-800-550-8242 or visit www.tahc.texas.gov .
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2. Chronic wasting disease testing plan announced at meeting in Medina County [TX]
By Pilar Arias
KSAT.com
August 11, 2015
SAN ANTONIO - The state agencies closely monitoring the chronic wasting disease situation in Texas say they have a plan in place for the upcoming deer-hunting season.
CWD is one of the top priorities of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission.
The flow chart provided at the first town hall style CWD informational program in Hondo Tuesday night outlines the breeder deer movement qualification standards. In the past, only breeders were required to submit samples to test for CWD. Now release sites, better known as ranches, will also be required to submit samples for testing. There are three classes ranches will fall under: class I is classified as low risk, class II is classified as moderate and class III is classified as high risk.
The plan is TPWD and TAHC's response to several cases of CWD found in captive white-tailed deer from a ranch in Medina County.
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3. Public health, animal health and security sector must speak with one voice on the need to strengthen health systems
OIE Press Release
August 11, 2015
Paris - All around the world, animal disease agents, including those transmissible to humans, have the potential to escape by accident from laboratories or to be used as biological weapons because of their wide ranging economic, health and social impacts, their low cost and their ready availability. The OIE Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction, held in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), brought together key actors from international organisations and national governments to agree on priority actions and common messages. The participants who represented the public health, animal health, ecosytem health, and security sectors included educators, policy and decision makers, scientists, security officers, veterinarians and medical doctors.
The conference report and recommendations (endorsed by the participants on Thursday 2 July 2015) are now on line:
Under-investment in health systems, war or civil unrest, climate change, natural disasters, terrorism and crime were all identified as potential global health threats because they threaten the ability of animal and public health systems to provide the very basic needs. Countries with weak health systems are particularly vulnerable and, in an age when infectious diseases can travel across borders so quickly, this is a threat to the whole international community. Robust well governed animal and human health systems are resilient and provide protection against a spectrum of threats from naturally occurring diseases, to emerging diseases, bioterrorism and laboratory accidents.
A key outcome of the meeting was that good governance of animal and public health national systems allowing early detection and rapid response to any new disease outbreak protects the society and neighbouring countries from potential disasters of natural, accidental or intentional origin.
Following this outcome, the main players at international level agreed that the health and security sectors need to improve cooperation and speak with one voice on the urgent need to invest in strengthening health systems.
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4. Wisconsin Ag officials lift remaining bird flu quarantines
By Andrew Beckett
Wisconsin Radio Network
August 11, 2015
The state has lifted the last six quarantines for poultry operations in the state, following an outbreak of avian influenza this spring that forced the destruction of more than a million turkeys and chickens in Wisconsin.
The move comes after the final six premises were tested and cleared for signs of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, which hit ten poultry operations in the state earlier this year. Division of Animal Health spokeswoman Raechelle Belli says four of the sites were in Barron County and two were in Jefferson County, which were cleared after a lengthy cleaning and disinfection process, and sampling of the property to make sure they were rid of the virus.
All of the operations had to destroy their flocks earlier this year and had been shut down during the quarantine period. Belli says they will now be allowed to resume operations and repopulate with new birds.
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5. Diseases Prompt Caution from Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory Director
Univ. of Wyoming News
August 11, 2015
Tularemia, plague, West Nile virus, rabies, vesicular stomatitis -- Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) experts are cautioning residents to monitor not only their pets and livestock, but also themselves this summer.
The WSVL has diagnosed several cases of tularemia in wildlife and domestic animals, including in Albany, Platte and Washakie counties, says Will Laegreid, WSVL director.
"There have been a number of human tularemia cases in Colorado this summer and two so far in Weston County, and we would like to prevent any more cases in Wyoming if possible," he says. The Wyoming Department of Health reported the cases.
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6. USDA Invests $27.6 Million in Projects to Address Food Security, Hunger through Improved Animal Production and Health
NIFA News Release
August 11, 2015
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced more than $27.6 million in funding for projects that will boost food security through improved animal production and health. Both of these areas contribute significantly to our nation's food production, food security, and economy. The awards to support research, education, and extension projects were made through NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.
"As we continue to face major challenges in agriculture production, such as the extreme weather events and droughts, diminishing water resources, climate change, pests, and global competition, producers are looking for viable solutions," said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. "These grants allow American agriculture to remain a competitive force by providing food that is not only nutritious, but safe, and abundant."
NIFA made the awards mostly through the AFRI Foundational program, as well as an interagency program with the National Institute of Health. The outcomes of these projects will advance genome enabled precision breeding and enhance animal production by improving animal growth, reproductive efficiency, and animal well-being. These projects will also increase our understanding of antimicrobial resistance and enhance animal health by tackling new, foreign or emerging disease threats through vaccine development, prevention, early detection, and recovery. These projects target improvements in livestock and aquaculture species.
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7. West Nile Virus Detected in Maryland
By Staff Writer
Montgomery Community Media
August 11, 2015
The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced the first detection of a West Nile virus (WNV) mosquito pool in Maryland this summer.
On August 5th, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) confirmed the presence of WNV in mosquitoes collected by MDA personnel in the City of Bowie in Prince George's County. ULV spraying to control adult mosquitoes in that section of Bowie occurred the night following trapping. MDA mosquito control personnel are working aggressively to reduce mosquito populations in this community and across the state of Maryland.
"We know that West Nile virus may be present throughout Maryland. It typically appears at this time in the summer, so we are not surprised with this positive finding," says Secretary of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder. "The confirmation of virus-positive mosquitoes serves as a reminder to all residents to continue protecting themselves against mosquito bites and to conduct backyard mosquito control activities in addition to MDA's routine surveillance and spray activities."
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