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1. Brucellosis Confirmed in Park County [WY]
Wyoming Livestock Board Press Release
November 19, 2015
Wyoming State Veterinarian Dr. Jim Logan has been notified that cultures are positive for field strain Brucella abortus (Brucellosis) on a cow from one Park County cattle herd. Results were received on November 19, 2015 from the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) in Laramie, Wyoming.
Dr Logan, with concurrence of USDA-APHIS, has designated the herd from which the reactor cow originated as "Brucellosis affected" as of today.
One cow that originated from a herd within Wyoming's Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) was positive to blood tests at the WSVL and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. Specified cattle from the DSA are required to be tested within 30 days prior to change of ownership or movement from counties within the DSA. The herd was quarantined on November 10. It will remain under quarantine until the herd has undergone three consecutive, negative, whole-herd tests after any reactors have been removed from the herd.
Whole-herd testing was conducted on the "affected" herd on Nov. 15, and no additional reactor animals were identified. There is one contact herd also under quarantine for herd testing. The contact herd could be released from quarantine if their herd test is negative.
The testing is being conducted as a cooperative effort between herd owners, Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) personnel, and private veterinary practitioners. Epidemiologic interviews with herd owners are ongoing and quarantine herd plans will be developed with each herd owner associated with the case. Epidemiologic tracing will be conducted in the upcoming weeks by WLSB and APHIS personnel.
"Finding Brucellosis in our DSA is not an unexpected event," said Logan. "We have a reservoir of Brucellosis in wildlife in northwest Wyoming that occasionally will spill over into cattle. Our producers do a good job of mitigating their risks and trying to prevent Brucellosis in their cattle herds. This situation illustrates the value and effectiveness of our surveillance program in Wyoming. We have found this case before the disease spread to other areas and are dealing with it appropriately. At this time, we do not have verification that this case has resulted from wildlife exposure. The epidemiological investigation will give us an answer with time. All of Wyoming's cases of Brucellosis, from 2003 to 2011, have been verified as elk source exposure."
Logan would like to thank all the producers and veterinarians in the area for their good cooperation in a very difficult situation. "We expect to complete the initial stages of this response by the end of November with follow-up testing to occur in the ensuing months."
WLSB veterinary staff is also currently investigating a potential case of Brucellosis in Sublette County, which is also in the DSA. Blood test results indicate there may be a positive herd. Dr. Logan is waiting on tissue culture results from animals submitted to the WSVL before designating the herd officially. If this is an "affected herd," there will likely be additional contact/exposed herds that will need to be quarantined until tested.
For further information, please contact Wyoming State Veterinarian Dr. Jim Logan at 307-857-4140 or 307- 421-1682.
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2. USDA Issues Second Request for Proposals for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Vaccine
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
November 20, 2015
The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continues to prepare for the potential return of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). APHIS is issuing its second request for proposals (RFP) for vaccine manufacturers with the interest and capability to supply a variety of Eurasian H5 (EA H5) vaccines in sufficient numbers to add to the emergency stockpile.
APHIS has not approved the use of vaccine to respond to HPAI to date; however, the Agency is preparing to ensure that vaccine is available should the decision be made to use it. Any decision to use vaccination in a future HPAI outbreak would require careful consideration of the efficacy of the vaccine, any impacts of using HPAI vaccine in the field, and the potential trade impacts. In response to the first RFP issued in August, APHIS awarded contracts for doses of two vaccines for the EA H5 virus strain, which became part of the National Veterinary Stockpile.
Vaccines will be carefully evaluated on a number of factors including their efficacy against EA H5 viruses, and products must meet all of APHIS' safety, potency, and purity standards. All eligible products to be considered must be either conditionally or fully licensed or permitted at the time of submission. Vaccine manufacturers will be evaluated on their ability to produce such vaccines in a timely manner in adequate numbers to meet the needs of the response.
Although no decision has been made to use vaccine in the event of a future HPAI outbreak, APHIS will continue to issue RFPs for vaccine manufacturers on a quarterly basis through September 2016, to allow additional products to be developed and considered for the stockpile should an HPAI outbreak occur.
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3. Colorado VS: Positive Diagnoses in 11 Counties
By Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
November 20, 2015
As of Nov. 18, the Colorado Department of Agriculture's (CDA) state veterinarian's office has 45 locations in 11 counties under quarantine after horses, mules, and cattle herds tested positive for vesicular stomatitis (VS).
"Now that most areas of the state have had a frost, the insect populations should be subsiding," said state veterinarian Keith Roehr, DVM. "We hope this translates into rapidly decreasing case numbers as well. But, until we see those case numbers reduced, I encourage all livestock owners to be aware of their county status and take the proper precautions to prevent insect populations on their property."
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4. Stewardship, Antibiotics and Veterinary Medical Ethics - A Call for Action
Posted by Dr. John Clifford, Co-Chair, USDA One Health Joint Working Group and Chief Veterinary Officer
USDA Blog
November 20, 2015
Stewardship is an ethic that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources. And as World Antibiotics Awareness Week comes to a close today, it's important to note that the Veterinary Medicine profession too has a role to play in the use of antibiotics for animal health. This profession has ethical responsibilities as well as a vital role managing the use of antibiotics in food animal production that requires veterinary medical scientific training and knowledge.
Stewardship is a matter of principle; all veterinarians are expected to adhere to a progressive code of ethical conduct known as the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics (PVME). The PVME comprises the following Principles published and constantly under review by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The Principles:
A veterinarian shall be dedicated to providing competent veterinary medical care, with compassion and respect for animal welfare and human health.
A veterinarian shall provide veterinary medical clinical care under the terms of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
A veterinarian shall uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions, and report veterinarians who are deficient in character or competence to the appropriate entities.
A veterinarian shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to seek changes to laws and regulations which are contrary to the best interests of the patient and public health.
A veterinarian shall respect the rights of clients, colleagues, and other health professionals, and shall safeguard medical information within the confines of the law.
A veterinarian shall continue to study, apply, and advance scientific knowledge, maintain a commitment to veterinary medical education, make relevant information available to clients, colleagues, the public, and obtain consultation or referral when indicated.
A veterinarian shall, in the provision of appropriate patient care, except in emergencies, be free to choose whom to serve, with whom to associate, and the environment in which to provide veterinary medical care.
A veterinarian shall recognize a responsibility to participate in activities contributing to the improvement of the community and the betterment of public health.
Many questions still have yet to be answered about what responsible stewardship means. Stewardship often is referred to the same way as "judicious use" of antibiotics and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. "Judicious use" challenges those of us to be truly scientific in our approach to patient care. We must be able to communicate our decision not just to the client, but to the general public. Risk analysis is a fundamental component of "Judicious Use", risk management and risk communication is required also, before a veterinary feed directive is written to satisfy client concerns.
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5. Pastured Poultry Farm to explore solutions for small chicken farms
By Pat Bailey
UC Davis Press Release
November 19, 2015
UC Davis today (Nov. 19) unveiled its new Pastured Poultry Farm, home to 150 young laying chickens and a living laboratory where students and researchers hope to develop innovative solutions benefiting pasture-based poultry farms, integrative crop-and-poultry farms, and backyard flocks.
Pasture-based chicken production offers many benefits as well as some challenges in terms of food safety, animal health and welfare, and environmental impacts, said Maurice Pitesky, a Cooperative Extension poultry specialist with the School of Veterinary Medicine and co-leader of the poultry project.
The new 4.5-acre farm, located about a mile west of the central UC Davis campus, includes a seeded, irrigated pasture, where the chickens can forage, as well as a bright red, student-built Eggmobile for protection and overnight housing. The pasture uses a portable electronic fence to protect against predators and is surrounded by a 50-foot band of uncultivated land to serve as a wildlife buffer.
"This is a unique innovation, research and outreach resource for the Western United States," Pitesky said. "The project includes faculty and students with expertise in veterinary medicine, husbandry, welfare, pasture management and engineering, which allows us to address issues related to predator control, welfare, food safety and food efficiency."
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6. State launches campaign to fight antibiotic resistant bacteria [WA]
By Rita R. Robison
Seattlepi.com
November 20, 2015
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is Nov. 16-22. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of correctly using and prescribing antibiotics.
To increase public awareness, the Washington State Department of Health is launching a partnership to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria
It urges the public, prescribers, and food producers to use antibiotics wisely to prevent antibiotic resistance. Overuse of antibiotics is the main factor contributing to this problem.
A group of 18 Washington health care organizations and state agencies wrote a call to action on the dangers of antibiotic resistance and the need to prevent unnecessary antibiotic use.
"We need to use these lifesaving drugs wisely to prolong their usefulness," said State Health Officer Kathy Lofy, M.D.
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7. New Gene Found in Animals, People in China Could Make Bacteria Resistant to All Antibiotics
By Katrina Pascual
Tech Times
November 19, 2015
A new gene that makes bacteria extremely resistant to last-resort antibiotics has been detected by Chinese scientists in people and pigs, including in strains exhibiting epidemic potential.
Published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, the gene mcr-1 - which enables bacteria to be highly resistant to polymyxins or "the last line of antibiotic defense" left - was found widespread in Enterobacteriaceae samples from south China patients and pigs.
The gene was detected in plasmids, which are mobile DNA easily replicated and transferred from one bacteria to another. This raises the alarming concern of it potentially spreading and diversifying between various bacterial groups.
Study author Prof. Jian-Hua Liu of South China Agricultural University dubbed the results "extremely worrying" as polymyxins colistin and polymyxin B were the last class of antibiotics where resistance was unable to spread from cell to cell.
Unlike in colistin resistance stemming from chromosomal mutations, the first polymyxin resistance gene is quickly transferred between typical bacteria E. coli and Klesbsiella pneumoniae. "[This is] suggesting that the progression from extensive drug resistance to pandrug resistance is inevitable," warned Liu.
The mcr-1 gene was found widespread in E.coli isolates from animal and raw meat samples, with the positive samples increasing every year. The gene was also found in 16 bacteria isolates from 1,322 hospital patients.
Between E. coli strains, the transfer rate or at which the gene was copied and transferred between several bacteria was discovered to be very high. The gene, too, was seen likely to spread fast into pathogenic bacteria in humans.
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