Disease surveillance, eradication, and control programs have achieved significant success over the years in reducing animal disease in the U.S.
Yet animal disease remains a reality in the U.S. as illustrated in the following examples.
Click on each example to read how the inability to effectively trace diseased animals can have widespread consequences.
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Traceability is advanced in the poultry industry due to the high number of commercial operations. This case study, however, illustrates how the participation of small producers is critical to controlling a disease outbreak.
Exotic Newcastle disease (END) is a highly contagious and fatal virus that affects all species of birds. END affects the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems. Clinical signs include sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, muscular tremors, and circling.
Incident:
- An outbreak of END occurred in California from September 2002 - September 2003
Investigative Summary:
- END outbreak was confirmed positive in Los Angeles County in a flock of backyard game fowl
- Disease rapidly spread to exhibition and cockfighting flocks, eventually reaching commercial facilities
- 19 counties were quarantined in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas
- Nearly 4.5 million birds from over 2,700 infected premises were depopulated to contain the disease
- Up to 1,600 animal health personnel were deployed to respond to the outbreak
Impact:
- Over 50 countries imposed some form of trade restriction against U.S. poultry exports
- Outbreak caused an estimated $395 million loss in direct and indirect trade
- Federal dollars allocated to the eradication effort estimated at $138.9 million
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