Epidemio-surveillance programme for foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, sheep and goat pox, bluetongue and small ruminant pest in certain areas of Greece
Objective
The epidemio-surveillance programme referred to in Article 1(1) has the objective:
- to enhance disease surveillance in certain geographical areas of Greece considered to be special epidemiological risk areas
- to initiate early and rapid disease control measures when deemed necessary.
Furthermore, it has the objective to strengthen the lines of communication between staff making observations in the field, staff working in diagnostic laboratories and staff analysing epidemiological data at the national crisis management centre.
Main elements of epidemio-surveillance programme
The epidemio-surveillance programme is designed to detect at farm level clinical signs of exotic diseases (foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, sheep and goat pox, small ruminant pest and bluetongue) and to detect the presence of antibodies for the mentioned diseases in selectively collected blood samples. The programme takes into account that the livestock population subjected to the surveillance for foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, sheep and goat pox and small ruminant pest, is kept in areas defined as zone A (special epidemiological risk area) and zone B (considerable epidemiological risk area), respectively. The programme for bluetongue surveillance takes into account the biology of potential vectors.
The implementation of the programme shall be based on the actions and measures shown below:
A. Surveillance for foot-and-mouth disease, sheep and goat pox and small ruminant pest
1. In zone A all the villages and settlements will be subjected to a surveillance which includes:
(a) clinical inspection of 60 randomly selected sheep or goats from which six (6) animals will be randomly selected and subjected to a thorough clinical examination;
(b) clinical inspection of all bovine holdings;
(c) collection and serological examination of blood samples obtained from 60 randomly selected sheep and goats;
(d) monitoring of animals being moved out of zone A; all bovine, sheep and goats being moved out of zone A for rearing or reproduction purposes shall be subject to a clinical examination prior to movement; sheep and goats shall be subject to a serological test for foot-and-mouth disease, sheep pox and small ruminant pest;
(e) monitoring at slaughterhouses situated in zone A; a random sample of 10 % of sheep and goats slaughtered each day shall be subjected to a serological test for foot-and-mouth disease, sheep pox and small ruminant pest.
2. In zone B, the surveillance programme will include that:
(a) a random sample of 20 % of the villages and settlements shall be subjected to the measures listed under 1(a), (b) and (c);
(b) a random sample of 10 % of the sheep, goats and bovines being moved out of zone B to areas not subjected to the programme for rearing or reproduction purposes shall be subject to the measures shown in 1(d);
(c) animals brought to a slaughterhouse situated in zone B are subject to surveillance as listed under 1(e).
3. The measures described under A(1)(a), A(1)(b), A(1)(c) and A(2)(a) shall be carried out at least once every four months.
B. Surveillance for bluetongue
The epidemio-surveillance programme for bluetongue will include:
1. Clinical examination of sheep
Sheep subject to a clinical examination within the framework of Section A, 1(a) and 2(a) will during the months of July to December be examined for signs and symptoms associated with bluetongue infection.
2. Serological testing
Sentinel bovines aged over six (6) months in groups of five to ten animals will during the period July to December be subject to monthly serological tests. The sentinel groups of bovines shall be kept at locations situated in the proximity of likely breeding sites of potential vectors.
3. Collection and identification of potential bluetongue vectors
Insects shall be collected by means of light traps placed near likely potential vector breeding sites. Collections shall be carried out during the months of July to December with intervals of about two weeks. Insects shall be identified and the presence, density and geographical distribution of potential vectors shall be recorded.
Management of the epidemio-surveillance programme
The department of infectious diseases of the Animal Health Directorate, the Ministry of Agriculture shall carry out the management of the epidemo-surveillance programme referred to in Article 1(1) of this Decision.
ANNEX II
PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION BUDGET
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ANNEX III
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