호주정부는 구제역이 아주 드물게 인간에게 전염되지만 증상은 아주 약하다. 구제역은 공중보건 상의 문제로 고려되지 않는다.( People are rarely affected by FMD virus and if so, the symptoms are mild. FMD is not considered a public health problem.)고 자국의 국민들에게 확실한 과학적 정보를 제공하고 있습니다.
구체역의 인체 감염은 구제역에 감염된 가축을 다루는 중에 또는 실험실에서 피부 상처를 통해 일어날 수 있으며, 구제역에 감염된 우유를 마시면서 입을 통해서 일어날 수 있다(Infection can occur through skin wounds by handling diseased stock or the virus in the laboratory (no Australian laboratory holds infective FMD virus), or through the mouth lining by drinking infected milk.)는 사실도 공개하고 있습니다.
이러한 과학적 정보를 제공한 후에 감염된 가축의 고기를 섭취하거나 다른 축산제품을 소비함으로써 구제역에 감염되지는 않는다고 밝히고 있습니다.
그리고 구제역의 인체감염은 일시적이며, 경증이고, 아주 드문 경우에만 임상적으로 질병(열, 손과 발 또는 입에 수포)이 나타난다는 사실도 알려주고 있습니다.
호주 정부의 구제역 방역의 기본 방침은 살처분(stamping out)이며, 특정한 상황에서 백신정책을
도입할 수 있다고 밝히고 있습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고 구제역 백신접종을 한 동물들을 모두
살처분한다고 분명히 밝히고 있습니다. 호주에서는 구제역 백신 접종 후 그 동물들을 살리기 위한
보호적 백신(protective vaccination)을 금지하고 있습니다.
FMD FAQs
출처 : http://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/programs/eadp/ausvetplan/fmd-response-policy-review/fmd-faqs.cfm
1. What is FMD?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute, highly contagious and rapidly spreading viral disease of domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, camelids (camels, llamas and alpacas) and buffalo.
The disease is characterised by the formation of vesicles (fluid-filled blisters) and erosions in the mouth and nostrils, on the teats, and on the skin between and above the hoofs. The disease spreads extremely rapidly through populations of susceptible animals. FMD may cause serious production losses and is a major constraint to international trade in livestock and their products.
Mortality in adult cattle is usually low to negligible, but up to 50% of calves may die. Significant mortality can also occur in piglets, and although the disease is usually mild in sheep and goats, significant mortality can occur in lambs.
There is no specific treatment for FMD. With severe disease and particularly if there are severe secondary infections and complications, animals may have to be culled because of welfare reasons.
2. What is Australia’s FMD status?
Australia is free from FMD; FMD is ‘exotic’ to Australia.
Minor outbreaks of possible FMD occurred in 1801, 1804, 1871 and 1872. The last incident occurred in Victoria following the importation of a bull from England. Two farms were involved before the disease was eradicated. FMD has not been diagnosed in Australia since then.
3. Why are we so worried about FMD?
An FMD outbreak would result in the immediate closure of many of Australia’s major export markets for livestock and livestock products.
The economic effects of an outbreak of FMD, even on a small scale, would be enormous to individuals, to the farming industry as a whole, and to subsidiary and support industries.
There would be significant flow-on losses to the economy, including to many businesses that rely on livestock industry revenue in rural and regional Australia. In 2002, the Productivity Commission concluded that, overall, the estimated cumulative loss to the national economy would be about $2–3 billion in gross domestic product for a short outbreak, rising to $8–13 billion for a 12-month outbreak.
4. Where in the world does FMD occur?
FMD is endemic throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia and most of South America.
Among Australia’s closest neighbours, Indonesia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and the Pacific island nations are free from FMD. Parts of Malaysia are also free. However, FMD is found as close to Australia as in parts of the Philippines.
5. What is Australia doing to keep FMD out of livestock?
Australia has strict quarantine controls in place to keep FMD out. There is also a ban on feeding swill to pigs and strong encouragement of on-farm biosecurity practices.
Australia does not allow imports of any susceptible live animals, semen or uncooked meat or unprocessed dairy products from FMD-affected countries or zones.
Australia also invests in other activities ‘at source’. For example, Australian overseas aid programs include an FMD eradication campaign in Southeast Asia (OIE Southeast Asia Foot and Mouth Disease Campaign) and a specific FMD control program in the Philippines. The Australian government also runs the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy, aimed at early detection of exotic disease in high-risk areas of northern Australia. The strategy has an offshore component that includes periodic disease surveys in West Papua, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea. These activities provide added knowledge and assist in risk management.
Pigs shed about a thousand times more virus than other susceptible animals and are the major amplifying host for the disease. Pigs are mainly infected through eating contaminated meat products but are then very efficient at multiplying and spreading the virus through aerosols, thus spreading the disease to other animals. Many FMD outbreaks have originated from swill feeding of pigs with infected animal products or meat scraps from infected animals. It is illegal to feed swill to pigs in Australia.
Transmission occurs most readily when animals are in close proximity, such as at watering and feeding points, stockyards and milking sheds. Spread of infection between properties and areas is often due to the movement of infected animals or contaminated vehicles, equipment, people and products. Infected animals can shed virus up to four days before clinical signs become apparent so animal movement can be a big factor in the spread of FMD. Simple on-farm biosecurity measures can minimise the risk of spreading disease, including FMD.
6. Given FMD is exotic to Australia, how could we get it in?
The most significant risk of entry of FMD to Australia is through illegal entry of meat and dairy products which could find their way into the livestock population.
The virus can survive for long periods in a variety of fresh, partly cooked, cured and smoked meat products, and in inadequately heat-treated dairy products which could find their way into the livestock population and cause an outbreak of FMD (as happened in the UK in 2001). These could be brought in by passengers on aircraft or ships, or could be sent through the post. There is also a risk from garbage discarded by fishing vessels or yachts.
7. How easy would it be for FMD to spread in Australia?
FMD has the potential to become established in Australian cattle, pig, sheep and goat populations; unless diagnosed and responded to very early, FMD could spread rapidly throughout Australia especially through movement of infected livestock.
Australia has large populations of domestic and feral animals that are fully susceptible to infection with FMD virus, including intensively managed animals in dairies and piggeries, animals in more extensive cattle and sheep enterprises, and feral pigs, cattle, goats, camels and buffalo.
Long-distance windborne spread of infection, except where piggeries are involved, is unlikely in most, if not all, of the country. However, the disease could be spread very rapidly through livestock saleyards, and by the movement of animals, contaminated trucks or other items.
8. Can people get infected with FMD virus?
People are rarely affected by FMD virus and if so, the symptoms are mild. FMD is not considered a public health problem.
Infection can occur through skin wounds by handling diseased stock or the virus in the laboratory (no Australian laboratory holds infective FMD virus), or through the mouth lining by drinking infected milk. People cannot be infected by eating meat or consuming other products from affected animals.
The infection is temporary and mild, only very occasionally resulting in clinical disease (fever, vesicles on the hands, feet or in the mouth).
‘Hand, foot and mouth disease’ of humans (most often caused by Coxsackievirus type A16) is present in Australia and may be confused clinically with FMD; it is not the same disease.
9. What would we do if we had an outbreak of FMD?
FMD is highly contagious and Australia’s control and eradication procedures include strict movement controls and the destruction of infected and at risk animals.
Australia’s response policy for an outbreak of FMD is to control and eradicate the disease through stamping out and to re-establish the FMD-free status of Australia as quickly as possible. It is described in detail in AUSVETPLAN, Australia’s Veterinary Emergency Plan [link to AUSVETPLAN].
Stamping out involves culling of all susceptible animals on infected premises and dangerous contact premises, regardless of whether the animals are infected or not. ‘Susceptible animals’ would include all cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and camelids on those premises.
Our response policy to an FMD outbreak also states: ‘Although it could extend market disruption, vaccination may be used in certain circumstances (for example, if the disease spreads beyond the limit of the available resources to control it; or to protect large animal concentrations, limit infection and minimise virus production)’; however, it qualifies that ‘Vaccinates must ultimately be slaughtered out’, essentially not permitting protective vaccination (‘vaccinate to live’).
