Summary:

An outbreak of FMD virus type Asia 1 in Greece was reported to the OIE on July 12, 2000. The outbreak occurred in two free-grazing beef herds in northeastern Greece bordering Turkey. Greece has applied a stamping out, non-vaccination policy including a ban on movement of live animals, animal products and feeds, as well as control of vehicle movement in the area surrounding the outbreak.

Greece is a small producer of livestock and their products, and a net importer of meat from cattle, pigs, and sheep. No live animals were imported into the US from Greece during the period January 1999 through April 2000. The US annually imports almost 2 million kilograms of cheese and curd from Greece, and much smaller quantities of pork and animal skins or hair.

The FMD outbreak in Greece is reported to be localized and the focus of aggressive control measures. Thus, the risk to the US appears to be negligible. No actions are recommended at this time.

How extensive is the situation in the affected country and what was the country’s disease status prior to the outbreak?

An outbreak of FMD virus type Asia 1 in Greece was confirmed on July 11 and reported to the OIE on July 12, 2000. The outbreak occurred in two free-grazing beef herds in northeastern Greece on the border with Turkey. The affected herds were kept on common pasture with other cattle herds, and with a flock of sheep and a herd of pigs. All of these animals were destroyed on July 12. Greece has applied a stamping out, non-vaccination policy, including a ban on movement of live animals, animal products and feeds, as well as control of vehicle movement in the area surrounding the outbreak.

Greece was not considered to be free of the FMD by the US, although the last previously reported outbreak in Greece occurred in September, 1996.

Turkey reported several outbreaks of FMD virus type Asia 1 to the OIE in late 1999. None of the reported outbreaks were in western Turkey near the Greek border.

What is the country’s production and trade in affected animals and animal products?

Greece is a small producer of sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, and animal products. Greece has almost 15 million sheep and goats, almost one million pigs, and over half a million cattle. Each of these herds or flocks is quite small (less than one percent) by world standards. Greece exported live sheep and pigs in 1998, and possibly in 1999 (trade data were not yet available for 1999). The country imported small quantities of sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs.

Table A: Stocks and Trade in Live Animals, Greece

Greek production of meat and milk represented a very small percentage of world production in 1999. In 1998, and presumably in 1999 and 2000, Greece was a net importer of meat from bovine, pigs, and ovine. Greece imported 2.5 percent of world imports of pig meat in 1998.

Table B: Production and Trade in Relevant Products, Greece

Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization * Data not available

What are the US imports of affected animals or animal products from the country?

No live animals were legally imported into the US from Greece during the period January 1999 through April 2000. The US annually imports almost 2 million kilograms of cheese and curd from Greece, and much smaller quantities of pork and animal skins or hair.

Source: World Trade Atlas, September 1998

What is the level of passenger traffic arriving in the United States from the affected country?

A total of 182,403 passengers arrived in the US on direct flights from Greece in 1998. This number does not reflect all passengers whose origin was Greece, since it is likely that some passengers entered the US via indirect flights.

As part of APHIS-PPQ’s agriculture quarantine inspection monitoring, 801 air passengers from Greece were sampled for items of agricultural interest in fiscal 1999. Sixty-five (65) of these passengers were carrying a total of 125 kg of items that could potentially harbor the FMD virus, such as cheese or meat. None of the 65 reported plans to visit or work on a ranch or farm while in the US.

Source: US Department of Transportation, and APHIS-PPQ Agricultural Quarantine Inspection data base

CEI’s plans for follow up:

CEI has no further activity planned regarding this outbreak. If you seek more information or wish to comment on this worksheet, contact David Cummings at (970) 490-7895 or Chris Kopral at (970) 490-7819.