Press Release

issued concurrently by

the National Minister of Agriculture and the Western Cape Minister of Agriculture

Outbreak of African horse sickness in the Surveillance Zone in the Western Cape Province

A laboratory-confirmed case of African horse sickness (AHS) has been detected in the AHS Surveillance Zone, near Simondium between Paarl and Franschhoek in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This is the first case of this feared viral disease detected in the AHS Surveillance Zone since the outbreak north of Stellenbosch early in 2004.

On the infected property, an Arabian horse stud farm, a regularly-vaccinated 4-year old mare died on 16 March 2007, exhibiting signs of recumbency, laboured breathing and death within hours of the onset of clinical signs. The attending private veterinarian and pathologists performed a full post mortem examination and a tentative diagnosis of African horse sickness (“dunkop” acute form) was made. Blood, spleen and lung samples were submitted to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI) for confirmation of the diagnosis.

On 22 March 2007 the OVI confirmed the diagnosis of African horse sickness. This confirmation was based on the detection of genetic material (dsRNA) similar to that of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) in the submitted samples using nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction tests (Nested RT-PCR). These samples have subsequently been forwarded to the virology section at the same institution for viral culture and serotyping. Serotyping results are awaited urgently, as the decision as to which fraction of the polyvalent 2-fraction AHS vaccine (each containing different serotypes and produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products) to use first, in order to confer the best and most rapid immunity against the specific virus involved in the outbreak.

Control Measures will be instituted under the authority and in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984, as amended) and accompanying Animal Disease Regulations. These measures will be finalised during a meeting this afternoon (Friday 23 March 2007 at 15:00) between Veterinary Services officials of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and local specialist equine veterinarians, as well as specialists from the Equine Research Centre of the Onderstepoort Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria.  The detail of these control measures will be specified in a follow-up press release later today or tomorrow, but will include at least the following:

1.      A total ban on all movements of horses, donkeys, mules and zebras (equines) into, through or out of the magisterial districts of Paarl and Stellenbosch. The N1 is exempted from these restrictions during daylight hours (09:00 to 17:00) only for through movement, with no stopping, loading or unloading of equines allowed.

2.      All movements of equines in the rest of the AHS Surveillance Zone and Free Area are also prohibited, except under cover of a movement permit issued by a State Veterinarian. 

3.      Compulsory vaccination for owners’ own account of horses immunised more than a year ago with AHS vaccine in the high risk and infected areas in Simondium, Franschhoek and Southern Paarl. These vaccinations must be performed by veterinarians and reported to Veterinary Services. The area referred to above might expand, depending on the effectiveness of disease containment measures and spread of midge vectors.

4.      All infected properties and properties where suspect cases of AHS are detected, will be under quarantine for the movement of equines.

5.      All cases of probable infectious disease or deaths of equines in the AHS Free Area and Surveillance Zone must be reported to a State Veterinarian to be investigated.

These control measures will take effect upon release of this notice and will remain in effect until modified or repealed by a notice to that effect issued by Veterinary Services of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture according to the authorisations and requirements as stipulated above.

According to European Commission Decision 97/10/EC, published in February 1997, registered horses intended for admission into the European Community must be resident during the past 60 days immediately preceding export to the European Community on holdings under veterinary supervision in the AHS Free Area. In addition horses must also have undergone a 40 day pre-export isolation within an officially approved vector-protected quarantine station.

Horses to be exported that were quarantined in the Kenilworth Pre-export Quarantine Station have been released from quarantine by the authorities and returned to their farms of origin. Exports of horses from the export zone in metropolitan Cape Town will be voluntarily suspended until such time as more information regarding the outbreak have become available and official communications between South African veterinary officials and the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) and our trading partners have taken place.

South Africa regained it’s European Community horse export status on 25 October 2006 with the publication of European Commission Decision 2006/724/EC, after losing it’s export status due to an outbreak of African horse sickness during early 2004 near Stellenbosch.

As European Community legislation required a two year AHS disease-free situation in the exporting zone of a “third country” (the RSA in this case), the EC export ban was due to be lifted on 18 March 2006, 2 years onwards from the last recorded clinical case on 17 March 2004.

This period was extended by an outbreak of AHS in the Robertson/Worcester area (situated in the AHS Protection Zone) detected on 5 April 2006. The outbreak in Robertson/Worcester was successfully contained and follow-up surveillance and testing during May to September 2006 convinced the EC that the outbreak had ended, leading to the reinstatement of South Africa’s horse export status in October 2006.

All owners of equines and organisers of equine shows, meets and competitions are urgently requested to strictly abide by the control measures issued by Veterinary Services in an effort to contain the spread of this killer disease. Traffic and Police authorities will also be requested to assist in the enforcement of these legal directives.

More information on African horse sickness can be obtained from the website of the national Department of Agriculture located at http://www.nda.agric.za/vetweb

Issued on behalf of the acting Chief Director, Veterinary Services, Western Cape Department of Agriculture.

Contacts: Dr Pieter Koen Deputy Director : Animal Health   e-mail: pieterk@elsenburg.com

tel: 021 8085052  fax: 021 8085126 cell: 0829072808

State Veterinarian Boland: (Drs Ronald Sinclair or Gary Bührmann) tel: 021 8085253 fax: 021 8085125

Published on this website: March 28, 2007