TRANSMISSIBLE ENCEPHALOPATHIES OF ANIMALS WITH REFERENCE TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND TRADE IN THE MIDDLE EAST Part II Pavls Ecnmides Member f the OIE Wrking Grup n Fd Safety 35 Aesp St. Aglandjia, Nicsia 2113, Cyprus Original: English Summary : Transmissible spngifrm encephalpathies (TSEs) f animals are tday an internatinal issue f cncern due t their public and animal health imprtance. In particular, cattle and their prducts and by-prducts ptentially carrying the bvine spngifrm encephalpathy (BSE) agent have been traded wrld-wide, giving this risk a glbal dimensin. The nn indigenus case in Oman shws that there was external expsure t BSE in the Middle East regin. While TSEs f animals are nt knwn t be a public health prblem in the Middle East, Member Cuntries shuld be vigilant abut the risk frm BSE. Natinal and reginal surveillance prgrammes must be develped, fllwing the existing OIE guidelines f the Terrestrial Animal Health Cde. 1. INTRODUCTION A questinnaire was develped and sent t all Member Cuntries f the OIE Reginal Cmmissin fr the Middle East: Afghanistan Kuwait Sudan Bahrain Lebann Syria Cyprus Libya Turkey Egypt Oman Iran Qatar Yemen Iraq Jrdan Smalia Respnses t the questinnaire sent were received frm the fllwing Member Cuntries: Bahrain Cyprus Egypt Iran Jrdan Kuwait Qatar Sudan Syria Turkey 2. TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES (TSEs) TSEs are a family f diseases ccurring in humans and animals that are characterised by a degeneratin f brain tissue giving a spnge-like appearance.
2.1. BSE in cattle Scrapie in sheep and gats, Creutzfeldt Jakb disease in humans, Variant Creutzfeldt Jakb disease in humans. 2.2. vcjd in humans First diagnsed in the United Kingdm in 1996. There is pwerful evidence fr a link between this new frm f human encephalpathy and BSE. It is nw accepted that the vcjd and the BSE agents are the same. vcjd affects relatively yung peple where the average age f death is 29 years. All tested cases in humans were methinine hmzygus at Cdn 129. The mst likely expsure rute t the vcjd agent is thrugh the cnsumptin f bvine based fds. vcjd victims in the United Kingdm cnsumed excessive quantities f prducts cntaining mechanically recvered bvine meat. BSE and vcjd is an internatinal prblem. Ptentially infected BSE materials - live cattle and cattle prducts and by-prducts - frm infected cuntries have been distributed thrughut the wrld since the 1970s. Althugh tw Nbel prizes have been awarded fr research wrk n transmissible spngifrm encephalpathies t which BSE belngs, there is still cnsiderable scientific uncertainty abut: The nature f the causative agent, The infective dse, The spreading f the disease in the hst, The extent and nature f the species barrier. Cases were reprted in dmestic cats, but nt in dgs. It is nw generally accepted that the agent f BSE and vcjd in humans is the same and that the epidemic f vcjd in the United Kingdm is due t expsure f humans t the BSE agent thrugh the cnsumptin f prducts cntaining bvine meat r ther bvine by-prducts. There are many areas f uncertainty: existing ptins fr the prtectin f public and animal health are precautinary and aim t reduce risks. Risks may nt be ttally eliminated. Member Cuntries are urged t: assess their ptential expsure t BSE infected materials and identify measures necessary t manage the assciated risks. All cuntries shuld be encuraged and supprted, if necessary, t cnduct risk analysis in accrdance with the prvisins f the OIE Internatinal Animal Health Cde.
Recycling and Transmissin f BSE in a Cuntry Infected Cattle Rendering Feeding MBM-MM-MB Calves-Cattle 2.3. BSE Infective Dse BSE Experimental ral expsure f cattle t a pl f BSE infected central nervus tissues has shwn that cattle can be infected by nly ne gram f tissue. In ne clinical case f BSE, it is estimated that 8 000 cattle ral infective dses are present. Brain 5 000 1 D50 Spinal crd 2 000 1 D50 Trigeminal ganglia 200 1 D50 Drsal rt ganglia 300 1 D50 Distalileum 260 1 D50 Spleen 26 1 D50 Eyes 3 1 D50 2.4. BSE epidemics have tw cmpnents The agent has t be imprted, recycled and amplified: Imprts f MBM-Feeding Lcal Cattle-Rendering Carcasses-MBM-Feeding Lcal Cattle-BSE Epidemic, Imprts f infected Cattle-Rendering carcasses and SRM-Feeding MBM-Infectin in Lcal Cattle. BSE may be present in a cuntry fr years withut being diagnsed. 2.5. Expsure f a cuntry t BSE-TSEs Risk Imprt f live cattle, sheep and gats, Imprt f Meat and Bne Meal. Meat Meal-Bne Meal-Greaves and Animal Prtein Cncentrates. a) If the BSE agent is intrduced int a cuntry, will it: Be recycled and amplified? Be eliminated?
It will be recycled and amplified if rendering f carcasses f cattle r by-prducts is practised and meat and bne meal is manufactured fr feeding cattle and calves.
b) It will be eliminated if: Rendering f carcasses and specific risk materials is banned, Their destructin is carried ut in a safe way, either by: Incineratin, Prcessing at 133 at 3 bars fr 20 minutes and burying r incinerating the end prduct. 2.6. Cuntries can be kept free frm BSE if they have: Adequate rendering f carcasses and animal by-prducts. Ban n feeding meat and bne meal t ruminants. Remved the specific risk materials after slaughter f cattle, sheep and gats. Ban n prcessing f specified risk material fr inclusin in feeds drugs r csmetics. Restrictins n imprts f live ruminants meat and bne meal and ther by - prducts f ruminant rigin. 2.7. Surveillance fr TSEs Passive Surveillance = Labratry examinatin f all clinically suspected animals. Active Surveillance = A statistically representative number f animals frm defined targeted ppulatins is tested by rapid methds fr the detectin f TSEs. Active Surveillance detected BSE in Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Pland, Slvakia, Slvenia and Spain. Animal Ppulatin in Middle East Cuntries Cuntry Cattle Sheep Gats Camels Bahrain 3,427 23,131 13,000 3,000 Cyprus 60,299 485 553 0 Egypt 2.8 mil 3.7 mil 2.9 mil 220,540 Iran 8.7 mil 54 mil 25.7 mil 146,900 Iraq 1.1 mil 6 mil 1.3 mil 7,500 Jrdan 68,170 557,260 1.4 mil 25,000 Kuwait 12,000 850,000 150,000 10,000 Lebann 85,000 350,000 400,00 580 Libya 152,00 6.4 mil 2.2 mil 70,000 Oman 148,000 160,000 728,000 97,000 Palestine Auth. 17,000 660,000 340,000 1,500 Qatar 9,671 149,798 139,513 49,388 United Arab Emirates 101,795 524,510 1.35 mil 232,848 319,000 11.3 mil 5,958 259,000 Syria 836,868 12.4 mil 79,325 12,169 Sudan 32 mil 41 mil 36 mil 3 mil Turkey 10.7 mil 27 mil 7.02 mil 0 Surce: Respnses t questinnaire and FAO statistics
Imprts f live cattle, sheep and gats frm BSE infected cuntries Cuntry Cattle Sheep-gats Frm Bahrain? Cyprus Gats France Egypt Iran Yes Jrdan? Kuwait France, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdm Qatar? Sudan Syria Turkey Yes Yes France, Netherlands,Germany, Switzerland (Nte: imprts befre BSE diagnsis) Bahrain Cyprus Imprts f meat bne meal and greaves frm BSE infected cuntries Belgium, France, Denmark, Italy, United Kingdm, Netherlands Egypt? Iran Jrdan? Kuwait Qatar? Sudan Syria since 1991 Turkey Yes Nte: Imprts befre BSE diagnsis Imprts f prtein and vitamin cncentrates fr feeding pultry frm BSE infected cuntries Bahrain? Cyprus Yes Egypt? Iran Jrdan? Kuwait? Qatar? N Sudan? Syria Turkey? Cntrl measures fr the preventin f crss cntaminatin f feeds fr ruminants with animal prtein cncentrates r finished pultry feeds Bahrain N Cyprus Micrscpic testing f feed Egypt N Iran? Jrdan N Kuwait N Qatar N N Sudan N Syria N Turkey Micrscpic and Elisa testing f feeds N Nte: Crss cntaminatin f pultry feeds, which may include animal prtein, is excluded because f the cmplete separatin f the tw types f farming and feeding in the Middle East cuntries.
Expsure f animal ppulatins f Middle East cuntries t BSE imprts frm BSE infected cuntries: Live cattle (in Oman, ne nn indigenus case was reprted), Animal prtein cncentrates, meat and bne meal, greaves. Expsure f susceptible animals t the BSE Infective Agent is estimated as limited, because 80 per cent f the animal ppulatins f the Regin are raised under extensive r semi-intensive systems by pastralists with feeding based n vegetables and grazing. Intensively kept livestck are kept in cmpletely separate farms under strict fficial veterinary supervisin and cntrl. 2.8. Surveillance fr TSEs in Middle East cuntries TSEs are Ntifiable and Quarantine and Imprt Restrictins are in place in all cuntries f the Regin, Veterinarians, paraveterinarians and farmers in all Member Cuntries are aware f TSEs thrugh specially rganised educatinal seminars, Veterinary inspectins are carried ut fr the detectin f suspected cases f BSE, Histpathlgical examinatins are available fr BSE diagnsis in all Member Cuntries, Rapid testing fr the detectin f TSEs is carried ut nly in Cyprus, Syria and Turkey. 2.9. Recycling f BSE in Middle East cuntries Rendering f carcasses r ther animal by-prducts is nt practised in any cuntry f the Regin. Feeding f animal prteins t ruminants has been banned in all cuntries f the Middle East. The pssibility f the BSE Agent recycling in the regin is cnsidered t be negligible. Registratin and identificatin in the Middle East exist in intensive farms fr artificial inseminatin and brucellsis cntrl. Traditinal methds fr the identificatin f sheep and gats are used in many cuntries f the Regin. 2.10. TSEs in the Middle East cuntries a) N cases f BSE were reprted frm any f the OIE Middle East Member Cuntries. b) N cases f vcjd in humans were reprted frm any f the OIE Middle East Member Cuntries. c) Scrapie has been reprted in sheep and gats nly in Cyprus. d) Impact f TSEs n the animal by-prduct industry in the Middle East regin: Rendering f animal by-prducts fr the prductin f meat and bne meal was practised in: Cyprus, Kuwait, Syria, Turkey and nly. It was discntinued in 2000 in Cyprus and Syria. Kuwait: Cntinues rendering nly fr exprt. : Rendering was and cntinues t be nly fr pultry by-prducts fr the prductin f pultry meal. In Turkey, there are at present 27 rendering plants prducing MBM, BM and bld meal; ne establishment prduces ffal meal. The prcessing is 133 C, 3 bars fr at least 20 minutes, particle size maximum 5 cm. Syria allws the prcessing f pultry by-prducts since September 2003 under strict cnditins. Pultry meal prduced is used fr feeding pultry and fish nly.
e) Impact n trade f animals and meat in Middle East Cuntries: The impact n the inter-reginal trade f animals and meat was insignificant. Imprts f live animals and meat frm BSE infected cuntries has been banned in mst Member Cuntries since 1990. The cnfidence f cnsumers in lcal meat and animal prducts was nt seriusly affected. 3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Transmissible spngifrm encephalpathies (TSEs) f animals are an internatinal issue f cncern due t their public and animal health imprtance, Bvines, bvine prducts and by-prducts ptentially carrying the BSE agent have been traded wrldwide, giving this risk a glbal dimensin, BSE has caused panic amng the cnsumers and severe disruptin f internatinal trade in animals and animal prducts, The riginal surce and mvement f animals and animal prducts, including meat and bne meal, can be masked by internatinal trading patterns, which ften include the prcessing and re-exprtatin f prducts, Despite TSEs f animals nt being reprted as a public health prblem in the Middle East, Member Cuntries shuld nt becme self-satisfied abut their risk frm BSE, The OIE, WHO and FAO encurage all cuntries t evaluate their ptential expsure t TSEs thrugh systematic assessment f trade data and pssible risk factrs t prtect public health and prevent further natinal and internatinal disseminatin f infectin amng susceptible species, The OIE has develped standards and guidelines t help Member Cuntries t assess and evaluate the BSE status f cuntries and znes. Additinal resurces shuld be made available t the Veterinary Services f Member Cuntries t assess their ptential expsure t BSE risk accrding t the OIE standards and guidelines. Member Cuntries shuld cnslidate their effrts t develp a reginal prgramme fr the surveillance and cntrl f TSEs. The prpsed reginal prgramme shuld include the fllwing items: a) The establishment f a Reference Labratry fr the diagnsis f BSE and ther TSEs. b) Training f natinal veterinary labratry persnnel f Member Cuntries n the diagnstic techniques f TSEs and detectin f animal prteins in feedstuffs. c) Training f veterinarians frm Member Cuntries in cnducting risk analysis, assessment and management. d) Frmulatin and implementatin f a Reginal surveillance plan and preparatin f cntingency plans fr Member Cuntries t deal with any BSE risk prblem that may arise. e) Develping mre effective educatin prgrammes n TSEs fr veterinarians, paraveterinarians and auxiliaries. f) Supprting reginal research related t TSEs and BSE in particular.
g) Establishment f a reginal netwrk fr TSEs data and imprtatin recrds: Member Cuntries shuld effectively wrk fr the establishment f a Reginally-rientated Animal Identificatin System that is apprpriate t the specific husbandry systems cmmn in the regin and ecnmically feasible. Reginal cnsensus shuld be reached n dealing with the rendering industry, mainly fr labelling requirements and mnitring their use fr nn-ruminant animals. Member Cuntries shuld prmte the Intersectral cllabratin between Veterinary Authrities and Public Health Services t survey the human neurlgical cases. This cllabratin will include the strict applicatin f BSE cntrl measures fr fd safety.