Published Date: 2007-09-27 15:00:10
Subject: PRO/AH> Porcine reproductive & respiratory syndrome - Viet Nam (11)
Archive Number: 20070927.3203
PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE & RESPIRATORY SYNDROME - VIET NAM (11)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 25 Sep 2007
Source: Viet Nam News Agency [edited]
<http://www.vnagency.com.vn/Home/EN/tabid/119/itemid/215104/Default.aspx>
The viral strain that causes porcine reproductive and respiratory
syndrome (PRRS) in pigs in Viet Nam has been identified as highly
pathogenic and similar to the strains discovered in China.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) laboratory came to the
conclusion after it tested viral samples sent by veterinary experts
of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) during their tour
of Viet Nam.
Chinese scientists also came upon a similar result after they made
field trips to affected localities in Viet Nam's Khanh Hoa province
at the request of Vietnamese government agencies.
At a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Bird Flu
Prevention and Combat, the Veterinary Department reported new
outbreaks of the blue ear disease [or] PRRS in the northern province
of Lang Son and the southern provinces of Khanh Hoa and Ca Mau.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Bui Ba Bong
ordered the Veterinary Department to conduct further investigations
into the outbreak at the Ca Mau provincial agricultural breeding
centre to prevent it from spreading to other farms.
According to FAO, PRRS is not a new disease. It was found first in
the US in the 1980s and now can be seen in almost all pig-breeding
countries. They emphasised that PRRS does not infect humans.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[The PRRS virus seems to continue its spread in Viet Nam, into 3
newly affected provinces. Viet Nam's 1st 44 outbreaks, as recorded
until 1 Aug 2007, are included in OIE's (World Organisation for
Animal Health) summary, with map, at
<http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=event_summary&reportid=5199>.
China's deputy director of veterinary services recently denied that a
virus, similar to the PRRS virus (PRRSV) causing heavy losses in
China, has spread to Viet Nam and Myanmar. Instead he argued that the
blue ear disease (PRRS) found in China displays similarity with the
virus that originated from the United States in the 1980s. (see
ProMED-mail post 20070925.3183).
Should results of the investigation concerning the PRRSV, carried out
in the USA (reportedly at NVSL (National Veterinary Services
Laboratories, FADDL (Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory),
Plum Island, NY) become available, data on the virus' pathogenicity
and, if possible, on the rate of its similarity to the Chinese
strain, will be most appreciated.
From a practical point of view, the route of introduction or spread
has become by now of lesser significance. Safe, efficacious vaccines
are in need for all affected regional countries. - Mod.AS]