Sheep and goats from UAE [United Arab Emirates] die of zoonotic diseases
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Nearly a third of 2946 sheep and goats imported from the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) since February [2009] have died and tests have found
the presence of bacteria that can infect humans.
The animals were brought under a cooperative program between Viet Nam
and the Middle-Eastern country through the UAE's company Tamouh
Investments LLC. Under the program, the company would give loans to
local farmers in south central Ninh Thuan Province for raising the
sheep and goats, and their meat would be exported back to the UAE.
The Ninh Thuan Center for Promotion of Agriculture and Aquaculture
reported on Tuesday [12 May 2009] that 562 sheep and 400 goats had
died, while 700 others had been removed from the herds because they
were too old and weak.
Nguyen Xuan Binh, vice director of the Animal Health Agency Zone No.
6 under the Animal Health Bureau, said tests done on the dead animals
found zoonotic bacterial diseases. Zoonotic diseases are those that
animals can pass on to humans, like rabies, anthrax, or ringworm.
"Three of four samples sent to Australia tested positive for
_Brucella_ and _Leptospira_ bacteria and the bluetongue virus," he said.
The bacteria cause brucellosis (undulant or Maltese fever) and
leptospirosis (Weil's disease or seven-day fever) in animals, which
can be transmitted to humans. These bacteria have not been found in
other animals in Viet Nam thus far, he said.
Binh said strict measures were necessary to prevent possible spread
of the diseases to other animals, adding that Ninh Thuan has the
largest population of goats and sheep at around 150 000. Local
authorities should keep the animals in a separate area and run
additional tests because there might be other diseases yet to find, he said.
The Ninh Thuan agriculture department on Tuesday [12 May 2009]
instructed the provincial Animal Health Agency and Center for
Promotion of Agriculture and Aquaculture to vaccinate the imported
goats and sheep selected to breed and take blood samples of every
animal to test for _Brucella_ and _Leptospira_ bacteria and the
bluetongue virus.
The rejected ones should be slaughtered properly or destroyed if
found with any disease, the department said.
Pham Dinh Hai, deputy head of Ninh Thuan Animal Health Agency, said
the animals were imported during the dry season and they have become
undernourished due to lack of food, which might have led to weakness
and disease. Earlier, the center had reported that the animals had
died after diarrhea attacks.
The UAE company had offered the goats and sheep through the local
Hung Viet Company. The animals were quarantined for 45 days in 3
farms in Ninh Thuan before being handed to local farmers for breeding.
Thanh Nien visited the farm in Nhi Ha Commune, Ninh Phuoc District on
Thursday [14 May 2009] and found several animals dying. The farm had
around 2000 of the imported animals. "The animals are supposed to be
used for breeding but they are really disparate," he said. "Some have
flat bodies with long hair while others have lopsided ears with long
hooves. They have also become too weak as they are already old."
An agriculture official in Ninh Thuan Province said the animals had
no identity documents although they were used for breeding. "We
couldn't identify what breed they belong to," he said. "We have to
select those that are active, healthy, have smooth hair and balanced
feet to use for breeding." He also said they had to guess the
animals' age by studying their teeth because of the lack of identity papers.
[Byline: Thien Nhan]
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Communicated by:
ProMED-MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[According to the article above, approximately 982 of 2946 sheep and
goats imported from the UAE under a cooperative program between UAE
and Viet Nam may have died of zoonotic diseases. The only clinical
sign reported is that the sheep and goats died after diarrheal
attacks. Samples were sent to a laboratory in Australia for
diagnosis. Although, the article reported that 3 out of 4 samples
tested positive for _Brucella_, _Leptospira_, and the bluetongue
virus, detailed field investigation data especially clinical signs
and incubation period are still lacking.
_Brucella_ in sheep is characterized by abortions or reproductive
failure. Brucellosis should be considered in flocks and herds when
abortions and stillbirths occur without concurrent illness (more
information on brucellosis in sheep can be found in the Merck
Veterinary Manual at
<http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/110506.htm>).
Leptospirosis in sheep and goats is characterized by high fever and
abortions. Sheep and goats show major illness only in young or
pregnant animals. Sheep and goats can become a carriers of leptospira
and spread disease to humans by direct contact, but cases are rare
since the animals shed leptospires only for a brief period. About 15
percent to 20 percent of spontaneous abortions in sheep and goats
seem to be resultant from leptospirosis, though this varies
dramatically between regions (more information on leptospirosis in
sheep and goats is available at the leptospirosis information center
website at <http://www.leptospirosis.org/topic.php?t=48&f=0>).
Bluetongue in sheep is characterized by fever, excessive salivation,
depression, dyspnea, and panting. Initially, animals have a clear
nasal discharge; later, the discharge becomes mucopurulent and dries
to a crust around the nostrils. The muzzle, lips, and ears are
hyperemic, and the lips and tongue may be very swollen. The tongue is
occasionally cyanotic and protrudes from the mouth. Erosions and
ulcerations are often found in the mouth; these lesions may become
extensive and the mucous membranes may become necrotic and slough
(more information on bluetongue is available in the fact sheets on
bluetongue from the center for food security and public health
disease at <http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/bluetongue.pdf>).
Since the clinical signs of the 3 diseases are not described, only
that "the animals had died after diarrhea attacks," PRO/MBDS would
greatly appreciate receiving more information on this outbreak,
including information on laboratory studies to date.
For maps of Viet Nam with provinces, see
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/vietnam_admin01.jpg>
and <http://www.angelfire.com/co/hongnam/vnmap.html>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Viet Nam can be accessed
at <http://healthmap.org/r/00cr>. This map shows other outbreaks in
Viet Nam and surrounding countries that have been reported on
ProMED-mail and PRO/MBDS. The postings can be directly accessed
through this map. -
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