Staying ahead of foot and mouth disease in Mauritania

4 November 2018, Mauritania – Following outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Mauritania, a team of experts have been deployed by the Emergency Management Centre for Animal Health (EMC-AH), a specialized unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), on the request of the Government of Mauritania.

Pastoralists in Mauritania first observed lameness, mouth and nose blisters and even deaths in their livestock herds, especially in young animals, following their return from nearby countries. Additional reports of sick livestock in other areas of the country triggered an emergency response by the Mauritanian Ministry of Livestock who requested FAO assistance.

In October 2018,FAO’s EMC-AH deployed a rapid response team of six specialists to assist the Mauritanian authorities and affected communities. The EMC-AH team analyzed samples at the National Veterinary Laboratory (ONARDEL) and confirmed foot and mouth disease as the cause of illness.

Foot and mouth disease is a devastating animal disease affecting all cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, pigs, sheep and goats, both domestic and wild species. While the disease poses no direct threat to human health, animals affected by foot and mouth disease develop liquid-filled blisters on their feet, tongue, mouth, nose or snout, and teats. Ruptured blisters leave raw, tender skin exposed and result in lameness and secondary bacterial infections.  Younger animals may die and older animals may suffer decreased milk quality and production, and are likely unable to move or eat, with subsequent loses in weight and require additional treatment.

 “Foot and mouth disease is locally known by pastoralists as “Safa” and it usually occurs in November –December with limited impact,” said Hassan Old Taleb, President of the National Agro-pastoralist Association in Mauritania.

In a race against the spread of foot and mouth disease in Mauritania and the region, EMC-AH team worked around the clock to support the Mauritanian Government in the assessment of the epidemiological situation and needs, and to assist them in the definition of a prevention and control strategy to address the outbreaks.

As a result of the mission, the Mauritanian Government included foot and mouth disease in the list of priority diseases. 

“Foot and mouth disease is a devastating livestock disease with huge impacts on the lives of people who depend directly on livestock for food and trade. It is highly contagious and reduces livestock productivity, which affects food security and nutrition,” mention Dr. Lee Myers, EMC-AH Manager.

Foot and mouth disease is endemic across a large swath of Eurasia, the Middle East and Africa, with more limited outbreaks in South America. Since January 2018, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, in addition to Mauritania reported outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Africa.

Risk of spreading to neighboring countries

The most common mechanism of disease spread is animal movement that brings healthy unvaccinated animals into close contact with infected animals. People can also transport the virus on contaminated hands, clothing and shoes. Under certain conditions, the virus can survive for extended periods, including in animal products that are marketed or traded.

According to the Mauritanian Chief Veterinarian Officer, the first reports of foot and mouth disease outbreaks came from the southeastern part of the country and then the virus spread to the western districts.  

“It is important to coordinate with other countries in the region to prevent the continued spread of the disease throughout the region,” said Dr. Mohammed Bengoumi, FAO Animal Production and Health Officer, who led the EMC-AH team in the field.

Vaccination to reduce the direct impact of the disease

There is no treatment for foot and mouth disease. However, vaccinations combined with the implementation of proper biosecurity measures can help control the disease and reduce negative impacts. EMC-AH team recommended emergency vaccination campaigns to target the most susceptible areas in Mauritania to halt disease spread. Once implemented the foot and mouth disease vaccination campaign will be the first in the country.   

Additional measures needed

“Quality vaccines are important to reduce the disease impact, but additional measures are essential to prevent virus transmission,” added Bengoumi.

The EMC-AH team recommended awareness raising among the various sectors on biosecurity measures and emphasized the need to strengthen animal disease surveillance and update animal movement maps to trace the origins and movements of infected animals.