Rapports, Archives: 64th Session - Appendix 4
FMD Situation in Turkey
Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) has been one of the most important disease causing significant economic losses in Turkish livestock sector. Together with these direct losses, export restrictions on several agricultural products cause additional losses to the Turkish economy.
FMD type O is the most common serotype in Turkey, which has been causing major outbreaks every year. The sequence data available shows that type O viruses isolated from Turkey belongs to a genotype which is also present throughout the Middle East to India and North Africa for at least the past 30 years. The data supports the idea that there is a constant virus exchange between these countries. Type A is the second serotype that has been regularly isolated from outbreaks, although this type disappears from the field time to time (e.g. August 1990-April 1991 and December 1993-February 1995). Molecular epidemiogical analysis showed that there is a constant change of the type A strains in Turkey and the new strains replaced the previous strains. The last two introductions from Iran (1996 and 1999) were also antigenically different compared to the Turkish vaccine strain A/Mahmatli. In addition to these two strains a third serotype, Asia 1, was also discovered first in Iran than in Turkey in 1999. All these development shows that more importance has to be given to this region to prevent the spread of the disease further to the West.
During the last twelve months in 1999 3 serotypes (O, A and Asia 1) of FMDV caused totally 57 outbreaks in TurkeyTable 1. Type O was responsible for most of these outbreaks. Type A was not reported in the first half of 1999. Type Asia 1 was reported in October.
Table 1: FMD outbreaks in 1999
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The number of animals infected with type A FMDV and number of susceptible animals to infection in these outbreaks are given in Table 2.
Table 2: A type FMDV cases in 1999
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The number of animals infected with type Asia 1 FMDV and number of susceptible animals to infection in these outbreaks are given in Table 3.
Table 3: Asia 1 Type FMDV cases in 1999
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Thrace Region of Turkey is composed of 5 provinces (Edirne, Kirklareli, Tekirdag, European parts of Istanbul and Çanakkale) separated from Anatolia with Bosphorus. FMD susceptible animal population is about 1.421.339 in this region (468.160 large ruminants and 953.179 small ruminants). No FMD outbreak was reported since Autumn/1996 in this Region. To maintain the disease free situation, strict measures are being implemented and regular disease surveillance is carried out. Every year all cattle are vaccinated two times and sheep and goats once with bivalent (A Mahmatli 65 and O Manisa 69) FMD vaccine.
Following A Iran 96 outbreaks in Turkey, at the beginning of the last year, an emergency vaccination programme was applied by the aid of EU in Thrace. 311.472 large ruminants and 636.550 small ruminants were vaccinated with monovalent A Iran 96 FMD vaccine for that purpose. A serosurvey was conducted to examine the efficacy of the vaccination campaign by General Directorate of Protection and Control (GDPC), The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), in Turkey and EuFMD Committee. Triplicate serum samples (prevaccination, 28 and 90 days post vaccination) were tested at Sap Enstitüsü, Ankara. The results showed that the seroprevalence was 67.16% for large ruminants and 42.39% for small ruminants.
The vaccine production at the FMD Institute (SAP Institute) for 1999 is given in Table 4. The production is still going on at the Institute. Low production figures are due to the long interval given for the construction of air conditioning and air filtration system of the production unit.
Table 4: Vaccine production in 1999
Vaccine strain |
Amount produced (cattle doses) |
O Manisa |
9.650.000 |
A Mahmatlı 65 |
3.200.000 |
A Ankara 98 (Iran 96) |
750.000 |
Asia 1 |
1.400.000 |
Total |
15.000.000 |
A serosurvey has been planned by GDPC and Sap Enstitüsü to examine the antibody levels of the livestock after the second round of vaccination (Autumn campaign) in 1999. But, according to information that we received from Pirbright IAH, which is mentioning the difference of the type A field virus from the vaccine strain, the protection level of A Ankara 98-vaccine strain will not be high enough. So this working plan is postponed to next campaign.
The frequent variations in the A type virus cause serious problems in the control of the disease by vaccination. The laboratory tests indicate that the conventional vaccines are far from the capability to protect the susceptible population from the new A type FMD.
The major efforts of veterinary services in Turkey have been directed towards control of foot-and-mouth disease by vaccination of cattle, sheep and goats annually. Cattle, sheep and goats were vaccinated two times with bivalent vaccine in Thrace, only cattle were vaccinated two times with bivalent vaccine in Anatolia In 1999. The vaccination figures for 1999 is shown in Table 5.
Table 5: Vaccination figures for 1999
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Turkey has increased its efforts to control FMD in recent years. To increase the farmer participation in disease control programs, it was decided to charge farmers for FMD vaccines in 1995. This increased the budget of FMD Institute significantly and some major investments have been realised since than. The budget of FMD Institute since 1996 and some major investments are shown in the tables (Tables 6 and 7).
Table 6: Total budget and investment budget of FMD Institute
YEAR |
TOTAL BUDGET(USD) |
INVESTMENT(USD) |
1995 |
1.800.000 |
|
1996 |
2.524.000 |
500.000 |
1997 |
2.950.000 |
565.000 |
1998 |
3.400.000 |
1.200.000 |
1999 |
3.260.000 |
720.000 |
Table 7: Major investments in FMD Institute in recent years
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As can be seen from the tables Turkey has been investing significant amounts of money to increase the quantity and the quality of FMD vaccines, which will in turn, contribute for the control of FMD in Turkey.
Turkey will continue to invest in FMD Institute to improve the conditions further. Air conditioning and filtration systems and refurbishment of the diagnosis and control sections, production of oil adjuvanted vaccine, repairment of the waste treatment system and filtration and concentration of FMD antigens for the vaccine production can be mentioned in this context. European Union may contribute to the efforts of Turkey through the installation of filtration and concentration system.
In addition a national FMD commission has been established to review the control policies and form the basis of a new control programme in 1999. Commission is composed of six members (3 from GDPC and 3 from the Institute, Sap Enstitüsü). It is decided to invite observer from related private company to the commission. As a result a new control programme was formed for the year 2000. In the present situation the vaccination programme in Turkey will be as follows:
1. Thrace and Marmara Region:
Biannual vaccination of all ruminants with a bivalent vaccine (A and O types) in Thrace region (Edirne, Tekirdag, Kirklareli, Istanbul and Çanakkale) and provinces surrounding the Marmara Sea (Balikesir, Bursa, Yalova, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bilecik, Bolu, Anatolian parts of Istanbul and Çanakkale).
2. Black Sea Region:
Biannual Strategic vaccination of large ruminants with a monovalent vaccine (O type) in Artvin, Giresun, Gümüshane, Kastamonu, Ordu, Rize, samsun, Sinop, Trabzon, Zonguldak and Bartin Provinces. Disease is not reported for many years in this Region.
3. In the other regions:
Biannual vaccination of all large ruminants with a monovalent vaccine (O type) in the remaining region.
In the case of type A or other exotic type outbreaks additional ring vaccination with a monovalent vaccine.
Vaccination campaign will be completed within two months in all Provinces.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural affairs starts the spring vaccination campaign in February for public awareness.
Active surveillance in the field especially Kars, Ardahan, Igdir, Agri, Van, Hakkari and Sirnak Provinces.
Evaluation of the vaccination campaign efficiency.
It is clear that Asia 1 type and variations in A type FMD is a potential risk for Turkey and also for Europe. TURKEY should be considered a high risk area regarding the transmission of the disease to Europe. By the way, the following actions might be supported to solve the problem:
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European Union may contribute to the efforts of Turkey through the installation of filtration and concentration system.
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Direct assistance for FMD vaccine production in Turkey.
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Quality assurance and quality control of the vaccine produced in Turkey.
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Improvement of Road Inspection Posts
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Improvement of Border Inspection Posts
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Improvement of Animal Markets
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Identification of Cattle