Phenyo Mokgothu
South Africa is presently experiencing an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) on farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Gauteng.
Hannes Lombard, manager of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) farm in Mahikeng, says the outbreak of FMD in the country has a big impact on the poorest people who are directly dependent on their livestock.
“FMD reduces herd fertility, leading to less efficient herd structures and lower livestock productivity, which in turn affects food security.
“FMD control and management programmes are expensive, and once in place, they are often difficult to discontinue due to risks of new FMD infection,” says Hannes.
He says the presence, or even threat, of FMD, prevents access to lucrative international markets.
“In FMD-free countries outbreaks occur periodically and the costs involved in regaining free status have been enormous. FMD is highly contagious and the actions of one farmer affect the risk of FMD occurring on other holdings; thus sizeable externalities are generated.
“Control, therefore, requires coordination within and between countries. These externalities imply that FMD control produces a significant amount of public goods, justifying the need for national and international public investment,” he adds.
Hannes says FMD is a controlled disease in South Africa. "There is no specific treatment for FMD, and it is a viral disease, treatment is supportive and symptomatic. The use of antibiotics is recommended to avoid secondary bacterial infection.
In the event of an outbreak, Hannes’ advice is to cooperate with your local veterinarians, extension officers and animal health technicians, as FMD is a disease of national importance.
“To prevent the infection of livestock, authorities usually apply strict control measures in the so-called redline areas, limiting the movement of animals by means of legal movement permits and the use of vaccines. Animals are vaccinated under very strict government control, and no animal may be vaccinated without the approval of the National Directorate of Veterinary Services,” adds Hannes.
How to treat FMD in cattle
Treatment with a mild disinfectant and protective dressing to inflamed areas to prevent secondary infection is recommended. The most used disinfectant is 2% caustic soda, 4% soda ash, and 2% acetic acid.
Sulfadimidine or broad-spectrum antibiotics injections are useful for secondary bacterial infection, and the administration of flunixin meglumine is reported to have an excellent systemic response.
Vaccination can be used to reduce the spread of FMD or protect specific animals. Vaccines are also used in endemic regions to protect animals from clinical disease. FMD vaccines must closely match the serotype and strain of the infecting strain.
Vaccination with one serotype does not protect the animal against other serotypes and may not protect the animal completely or at all from other strains of the same serotype. Currently, there is no universal FMD vaccine.
How to prevent FMD
Preventive measures include:
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Protecting valuable or accessible animals by large-scale vaccination or vaccination along a border to provide a buffer zone.
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Regulatory steps to prevent the entry of FMD, and implementing an eradication programme.
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Restricting the movement of infected animals and quarantining.
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Destroying infected carcasses.
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Disinfecting infected areas and vehicles.
