2001년 영국 구제역 사태 10주년을 맞아 에딘버러에서 개최된 컨퍼런스 에서 대규모 살처분에 대한 대안으로 구제역 백신 후 도축하여 식용으로 하는 것이 실용적이라는 주장이 나왔다는 B BC 뉴스입니다.

실제로 1997년 대만 구제역 사태 당시 백신에 소요된 비용은 살처분 보상금의 7.35%에 불과했습니다.

1997년 대만 구제역 피해

대만 통계 출처 : P. C. Yang, R. M. Chu, W. B. Chung, et al.(1999), Epidemiological characteristics and financial epidemic in Taiwan costs of the 1997 foot-and-mouth disease, Veterinary Record 145, pp 731-734

Foot-and-mouth vaccination ‘viable’

출처 : B BC 16 March 2011 Last updated at 09:18 GMT
http://www.b bc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-12757631

Vaccinating animals against foot-and-mouth and returning them to the food chain could be a “viable alternative” to mass culls, a conference has heard.

The meeting discussed the “significant” role vaccination could play.

The conference in Edinburgh was attended by farmers, vets and both the Scottish and UK governments.

NFU Scotland president, Borders farmer Nigel Miller, said the industry had a “duty” not to repeat the scenes of the UK’s worst outbreak 10 years ago.

Millions of animals were slaughtered in 2001 to try to control the disease.

The worst-affected area was Cumbria, with neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway the hardest hit in Scotland.

More than 100 delegates attended the conference at the Moredun Research Institute looking at how any future outbreak might be handled.

Farmers, auctioneers, food processors, retailers, scientists, consumers, pharmaceutical companies and vets were among those represented.

They discussed both future control models for the disease and the new international and European framework for foot-and-mouth disease control.

They heard that a policy which sees animals vaccinated to control the disease and then enter the food chain “may provide a viable alternative to the mass cull of animals seen during previous epidemics here”.

‘Left scars’
 
They also discussed the practicalities of vaccine manufacture and distribution, when and how the vaccine could be used and challenges vaccination may present.

Veterinary virologist Peter Nettleton said vaccination was the “modern alternative” to mass slaughter.

He said: “The use of vaccination to resolve the next outbreak could help to prevent the tragic scenes, social upheaval and psychological trauma that were witnessed 10 years ago.”

Mr Miller said farming was obliged to look at ways to handle things differently.

“Fundamentally, we must find a way to avoid the scenes of mass slaughter of 2001,” he said.

“The economic disruption caused by culling livestock from huge areas, and the scars that left on both individuals who were directly affected and the wider countryside, is not something any of us want to see again.

“It is our duty as an industry to equip ourselves with the tools to ensure those scenes are not repeated.”