EuFMD OS20

1. RISK OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE SPREAD THROUGH CATTLE MOVEMENTS IN UGANDA
I. Mugezi (1)*, M. Kimaanga (1), A. Namwabira (1), E. Chevanne (2), O. Nekouei (2) M. McLaws (2) P. Motta (2), T. Dulu (3) & K.
Sumption (2)
(1) Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, Plot 14 -18 Lugard Avenue,
Entebbe, Uganda
(2) European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy
(3) State Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation, Cathedral Road, Nairobi, Kenya
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Uganda.
Outbreaks are caused mainly by four serotypes: O, A, South
African Territories (SAT) 1 and 2. The country is following
the PCP-FMD to progressively reduce the impact and
circulation of FMD virus, and is currently at stage 2. Due to
porous borders and inadequate animal movement control,
Pastoral and trade-related movements play a key role in the
spread of FMD in East Africa. The districts along the Uganda-
Tanzania border have frequent cattle movements during the
dry seasons. Cattle from this border mainly move to the urban-
peri urban areas (characterised by semi-intensive systems of
rearing) and agro-pastoral production system areas.
Introduction
Cattle movement from border districts
Cattle movement from destination districts
Methodology
The OIE risk assessment framework was applied to
“Qualitatively assess the risk of FMD Virus spread from the
border districts through live cattle movements.” Risk pathways
were developed to assess the likelihood of entry, exposure and
identify key factors and husbandry practices that facilitate the
introduction and transmission of FMD Virus in cattle. The data
and information used were primarily obtained from scientific
publications, official reports, national animal movement
records, national FMD vaccination and surveillance reports
from and key informant interviews
Results
The likelihood of release of FMDV from the border
districts was assessed to be high (with medium
uncertainty), via movements of cattle for grazing,
breeding and slaughter purposes.
The likelihood of exposure of susceptible cattle to
FMD Virus is ‘high’ when live cattle are introduced
for breeding, grazing or transhumance purposes, in
agro-pastoral areas (with medium certainty).
The likelihood of exposure to FMD Virus is moderate
when cattle are introduced for breeding, cattle
destined for breeding and grazing, negligible when
cattle are introduced for grazing or slaughter (with
medium certainty) in semi-intensive, urban-peri
urban areas (SIUPU).
Consequently, in the Agro-pastoral destination areas,
the introduction of FMD is expected to result in
outbreaks of the disease on several farms in the
destination districts which may spread to several other
districts country wide. In contrast, outbreaks of FMD
in the SIUPU areas are likely to remain restricted to
the affected farms due to the intensive methods of
livestock rearing and higher levels of biosecurity
Targeted vaccination, construction of
livestock infrastructure in livestock
markets, farms and along stock routes,
increasing collaboration among veterinary
inspectors and agriculture police, and
strengthening epidemio-surveillance data
collection, analysis and dissemination
were identified as key control measures.