Kyu fever confirmed in nine cases

Q fever was detected in nine cattle in Montenegro, announced the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs.

The Administration said that, considering that they received many questions from the media and a political organization, they will regularly and at least once a week inform the public about the situation related to the occurrence and suppression of kyu fever on farms, as well as some scientific facts.

In the announcement, it is emphasized that the Administration implements all prescribed measures in accordance with the Law on Veterinary Medicine.

"In order to fight against this disease and to prevent its spread, the administration formed an expert team, which drafted the "Order for the prevention of the occurrence, detection, suppression and eradication of the infectious disease kyu fever in cattle", which was adopted by the relevant Ministry and entered into force on August 17," the statement said.

The Administration said that from June 1 until today, 785 cows were tested on eight farms engaged in milk production, on which ten farms were registered.

"The current serological findings confirm that there is a suspicion of the presence of the disease in 203 cows (positive serological findings, i.e. the presence of antibodies), while in nine of them, the PCR test in milk, other secretions or tissue analysis determined that the infection exists," the announcement says.

It is stated that 59 cows with positive PCR results or pronounced clinical symptoms have been euthanized so far.

"Seven more heads are waiting for euthanasia and it will be carried out immediately after receiving information from the municipalities of Nikšić and Danilovgrad about the secured location for harmless removal," the announcement says.

The Administration said that they are aware of the damage suffered by producers and milk processors.

"That's why we try to do our job as well as possible, as well as to ensure that every decision is made in accordance with the law with full respect for professional and scientific knowledge in this area," said the Administration.

They said that, with the commitment of the relevant Ministry and the full support of the Government, farmers will be compensated for each euthanized or dead head, and in accordance with the law from the budget of Montenegro, which is designated for these purposes.

"We have no doubt that the Ministry, as well as local administrations, will help farmers in the coming period so that the damage they suffered will be compensated," the Administration pointed out.

They said that, as far as cheese is concerned, not a single case of Q fever has been recorded on any farm that has a registered cheese production facility.

As the Administration said, numerous scientific works, as well as the claims of organizations dealing with food safety, bring the possibility of infection with that microorganism through the consumption of cheese to a negligible level, claiming that the technological process of cheese production itself destroys those microorganisms.

"Nevertheless, if we record even one case of infection on any farm, all further production will be prohibited until the infection stops on that farm, and all products, as well as milk, will be harmlessly removed," the Administration stated.

They appealed to cheese producers to comply with all recommended procedures in accordance with the Manual on hygiene requirements for producers of primary products on farms, which is available on the Administration's website.

The announcement states that it is not possible to eradicate the disease from the territory of Montenegro, but it is necessary to implement measures to control the disease.

"First of all, preventive measures on farms with animals that should be carried out by animal owners, which include biosecurity measures on the farm: maintenance of good hygiene on the farm, regular cleaning, washing and disinfection and disinsection of facilities, proper disposal of manure," the statement added.

The Administration asked the public not to react to, as they stated, lay publications by certain media and appearances by individuals in the media, which do not have any professional and scientific weight, and against whom certain measures will be taken in accordance with the law due to making inaccurate claims.

Regarding the articles in some media about the death of sheep on a farm in Nikšić, they said that the laboratory confirmed that all sheep samples were negative for whooping cough and that the cause of death was probably the result of some other infections.

"We invite all animal owners to report any change in their health condition to the competent veterinary clinic, which will go to the field and carry out sampling and other necessary measures, and all the costs of this supervision will be borne by the Administration, which means that the service of sampling and laboratory tests will be free for the owners," it is stated in announcement.