FMD outbreak top worry for animal health professionals

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Dr. Buddy Faries, TAMU, said professionals are concerned foot-and-mouth (FMD) will hit Texas and "it's very likely to come from a bio-terrorist." -Staff photo by Taylor

January 30, 2003 -- While 9-11 changed all of our lives to some extent, the threat tops the list of concerns for the agricultural community, according to Dr. "Buddy" Faries, associate professor and Extension program leader for veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University (TAMU).

Addressing a room full of producers at the recent Corpus Christi Farm and Ranch Show, he explained various diseases and how they are, or can be, a threat to Texas, and its producers. While the West Nile Virus, anthrax and smallpox were high on his list, perhaps the most far-reaching, all-encompassing worry to professionals is foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

"We are very concerned that foot-and-mouth virus is going to hit Texas, and it's very likely going to come from a bio-terrorist," said Faries.

FMD disease is caused by a fast spreading virus, and all "two-toed" animals are susceptible to it. In Texas, the animals included would be cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, elk, bison, deer and swine, according to TAMU literature.

"I encourage you to be watching your livestock (for) anything unusual ... symptoms you've never seen before ... some blisters, some lameness, some kind of staggering, or you're seeing a lot of animals all at once affected, instead of just one cow ... either sick, or a bunch have died ... get that reported!" Faries urged.

He said producers should call their county's Texas Cooperative Extension agent, immediately, and a veterinarian. Once they arrive on the property, they will quarantine everyone who is on or enters the property, including the state vet who will be called to take tissue and blood samples to verify the disease.

"We have a state law, now, that says that this state vet that diagnoses FMD on your place is able to quarantine your place, today, before he gets results from the lab," added Faries.

After the initial quarantine, all animals will be killed and roadblocks will be established. Then, within a radius of eight miles, properties will be quarantined and animals sampled and/or killed.

"Nobody can leave this eight-mile circle, and nobody can come in, a complete 'shut-down' for three months," he explained.

Obviously, this would create terror, because it would virtually shut down all movement for area food supplies, as well as exports. Mexico and Canada experienced this situation during the 1950s, according to Faries.

While some vaccinations are available for some diseases, Faries said the United States will not vaccinate because that establishes the country as a "Foot-and-Mouth country," an undesirable designation for any country.

The West Nile Virus, which started in New York, last year, and spread like fire down the East Coast and across the southern states, is expected to return with a vengeance.

"It was a foreign animal disease, but it is now a native disease. We'll never get rid of it; it will always be here from now on. It's going to cover the entire United States," Faries explained.

The veterinarian said there is no immunity in horses and birds, and the virus is spread by infected mosquitoes who "would rather bite birds," but are eager to nibble on horses and humans, too.

"We're going to have a lot of livestock infected, but we just don't know it unless we run blood tests," he added. "If the virus goes to the brain and starts multiplying, then there's symptoms. That's what's happening in people and horses."

Faries detailed that 1 percent of horses show symptoms and of that 1 percent, 25 to 35 percent must be destroyed. Those who survive may have permanent brain damage. Humans averages are also 1 percent who show symptoms, and of that 1 percent, 8 percent will die.

According to Faries, many horses who show symptoms such as no coordination, wobbling, and staggering around may, in fact, be victims of rabies, which has many of the same symptoms. He urged anyone who finds an animal with these symptoms to contact a vet for a blood test before working around the animal or trying to console the animal. (Humans can contract rabies from a rabid horse through their saliva.)

Rabies is on the increase in Texas due to an abundance of skunks. Several years ago this scenario occurred and many skunks were eradicated, but they have over-populated, again.

Faries encouraged each producer to make sure their animals are vaccinated against the West Nile Virus as well as rabies, and to remember that the West Nile Virus requires two shots, about four weeks apart, with no immunity to the animal until four weeks after the second shot. Boosters are most important and should be given just before the mosquito population explodes in the spring.

Also, he urged the crowd to be vigilant about eliminating mosquito breeding sites, such as standing water, unless it is treated for mosquito control.

While we continue to hear of vaccinating for smallpox, because of terrorism acts that are expected, anthrax is an ever-present threat, too.

"We've got to be on guard. Any strangers ... anybody you don't know ... that may be the one that's distributing the anthrax or salmonella or E-coli, or some other deadly disease that could go through the food supply," warned Faries.

While we've always been a secure nation and felt secure on our own property, 9-11 has changed that forever, and Homeland Security should be our top priority, said Faries in closing.