Although New Zealand has never had a case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the threat that this disease poses to the economy of this country has long been recognised. The unprecedented global spread of FMD caused by the type-O PanAsia strain, culminating in the outbreak that occurred in the United Kingdom in early 2001, has refocussed the concerns of biosecurity agencies worldwide. The 3 lines of defence against exotic disease incursions in this country are border controls, surveillance and incursion response capability. This article reviews the pathogenesis, virus survival, routes of infection and methods of spread of FMD virus, and in the light of recent international developments, presents a summary of the major risks of introduction and dissemination of FMD virus and the risk-management measures in place for this country.
Mycobacterium bovis was probably introduced into New Zealand with cattle imported in the early 19th century. A tuberculosis control programme was introduced for cattle in 1945. However, the control of tuberculosis in cattle and deer in New Zealand over the past two decades has been hampered by the presence of an important wildlife reservoir, the Australian brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). While the importance of this source of infection has been suspected by the Ministry of Agriculture for some time, scientific proof has been lacking until recently. A new control programme is currently being finalized with the following objectives: to reduce the prevalence of herd infection in vector free areas to internationally accepted levels, to prevent the establishment of tuberculous vectors in new areas, to decrease the number and size of existing areas where tuberculous vectors exist, and to encourage land-owners to take action against tuberculosis on their properties and in their herds.
Records of 28,266 clinical cases collected over a period of three years from a veterinary clinical service to small dairy farms in Bangladesh were analysed. The major clinical conditions encountered were those which adversely affect the performance of draught animals and those causing infertility. Gastrointestinal disorders and general debility were also of major significance. It was concluded that the most pressing constraint on cattle productivity in Bangladesh is inadequate nutrition. Although infectious diseases were of minor importance overall, annual epidemics of foot-and-mouth disease were associated with seasonal movement of cattle. Difficulties involved in the analysis of clinical case records are discussed.
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