The expert team for Q fever of the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Conditions announced that many of the provisions of the order to prevent the occurrence, detection and suppression of the infectious disease Q fever in cattle are not continuously implemented.
They said that, if the prescribed measures are not observed and implemented, every effort to suppress the infectious disease is in vain and that any implementation of other measures in such a situation loses its meaning and professional justification.
We transmit the announcement in its entirety:
"After a series of half-information, questionable media appearances, and numerous inaccurate statements by laymen, which cause doubts in the public, the Expert Team for Q fever has a duty to address the public with a statement.
Q fever is an infectious disease of many animal species. It belongs to the group of zoonoses, that is, diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. It is present on all continents and is endemic in almost all regions where there are animals - reservoirs of the causative agent. Although it is present in almost all European countries, there are no prescribed standards for the control of this disease. States, depending on the occurrence of the disease, degree of danger and risk assessment, individually undertake different measures to control and suppress this disease.
"In animals, it most often causes a clinically inapparent infection, and when it is clinically manifest, in cattle it is usually characterized by abortions, metritis, placental abruption, sterility and a decrease in milk yield, while in small ruminants the clinical picture is more common in the form of elevated body temperature, malaise, pneumonia , inflammation of the joints, miscarriages and mastitis accompanied by a decrease in milk production.
"Infected animals can spread the pathogen with urine, feces, milk, and especially placenta and amniotic fluid during childbirth and/or abortion. People can become infected by inhaling the pathogen through aerosols or by inhaling dust contaminated with the pathogen. Direct contact of people with infected animals can also lead to infection The least possible way of infection is the consumption of raw, unheated milk and products made from raw milk, and this way of infection is still the subject of human and veterinary medicine discussions.The disease can be transmitted by ticks and rodents.
"People who are in more frequent contact with animals are exposed to a greater risk of getting sick, such as veterinarians, farmers, slaughterhouse workers, laboratory staff. People get sick more often during the season of calving, lambing and kidding. For these reasons, it is necessary to implement animal hygiene and biosecurity measures measures when helping animals give birth and use appropriate protective equipment.The disease is successfully treated with antibiotics from the tetracycline group.
"After the disease in animals appeared sporadically for years in Montenegro, this year a larger number of cases were recorded on several farms from the territories of the municipalities of Danilovgrad and Nikšić. After a larger occurrence on three farms of dairy cattle from the municipality of Danilovgrad, bearing in mind that about zoonosis, as well as a disease that can cause economic damage on the farm, and in order to bring the situation under control, an expert team was formed. for the surveillance and control of Q fever in cattle, as well as to provide support for further veterinary inspection procedures.
"The expert team drafted the text of the Order to prevent the occurrence, detection and suppression of the infectious disease Q fever in cattle, in accordance with the conclusions and recommendations from the meetings, taking into account the available knowledge, recommendations and opinions - the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), the World organizations for animal health (WOAH), professional and scientific works, nature of the causative agent, modes of spread, the fact that it is a zoonosis that is sporadically diagnosed in humans, possible surveillance and control measures, and measures implemented by other countries.
"According to the Order, sampling and testing, as well as the killing and harmless removal of PCR-positive animals, i.e. seropositive ones with pronounced clinical symptoms, are carried out. The Order also prescribes the obligations of all links in the chain of responsibility, so the Expert Team appeals to all interested parties that they are under a legal obligation to comply with the provisions of the aforementioned Order, many of which are not continuously implemented, and in particular:
- Due to the lack of a location for burial, timely harmless removal by euthanasia and burial of sick animals is not carried out, which means that these animals are a source of infection for people and animals for days;
- Keepers do not separate and keep animals suspected of being infected from cattle in which the presence of antibodies against the causative agent of Q fever has not been determined;
- The entry of unauthorized persons/visitors or animals into the farm is not prevented, especially into the facility where the animals are kept, and we even have examples of entire television crews entering the farms;
- Mandatory and timely reporting of every change in health status on the farm, birth of vital calves and every abortion of receptive animals on the farm, which is the legal obligation of the owner, is not carried out;
- Disinfection, disinsection and pest control measures are not carried out in facilities for housing and keeping animals, garbage dumps, yards, water for feeding animals, outdoor places where infected and suspected animals have stayed;
- The use and removal of manure and liquid waste (slag) from the farm has not been suspended, and there is no storage of manure from facilities used by animals in a place where animals do not have access, treatment of manure and liquid waste on the farm with an appropriate disinfectant according to the manufacturer's instructions and cessation of their use for at least 40 days or composting of manure covered with nylon for at least 90 days
- Measures to protect animals from ectoparasites are not applied;
- Disinfection barriers are not installed at the entrance and exit of the facility where the animals are kept.
"We emphasize that if the prescribed measures are not respected and implemented, every effort to suppress an infectious disease is futile and any implementation of other measures in such a situation loses its meaning and professional justification.
"The expert team appeals to everyone that with compliance with all points of the Order, which include the implementation of biosecurity measures on the farm, and with the implementation of regular diagnostics and the removal of positive individuals from the pond, it must lead to a reduction in the prevalence of the disease and to bring the situation on infected farms under control.
"The expert team also appeals to the local governments to act in accordance with their legal obligations according to the situation, in which the owners' estates do not meet the conditions or the animal owners refuse to cooperate and do not want to allow the removal of their animals on their property, and that in cases the need to kill animals without delay determine the location for harmless removal, the criteria of which have been submitted to local governments.
"In accordance with the above, the expert team also appeals to citizens not to directly influence the spread of the infection by their actions, i.e. delaying the execution of measures, which largely means prolonging the situation we are in. When all the criteria prescribed for the burial site are respected by the local self-administration, there is no fear of ecological consequences, spreading of infection, or any other type of threat to public health. Burying dead animals is one of the main ways of their harmless disposal and when all principles are respected it does not pose a danger.
"The whole process, and the way out of this situation, can only be foreseen when all links in the chain of responsibility act in accordance with ethical principles and legal obligations.
"The expert team once again appeals to the owners, local governments and citizens to act in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations and observe the prescribed measures, in order to get out of the situation as soon as possible, with as few consequences as possible for all actors," the announcement states. which are signed by members of the Expert Team for whooping cough:
- Sunčica Boljević, Dr. Vet. honey.
- Milan Rogošić, Dr. Vet. honey.
- Mr. Ervin Bučan, Dr. Vet. with.
- Laušević Dejan, M.Sc., Dr. Vet. honey.
- Dr. Bojan Adžić, Dr. Vet. honey.
- Marko Nikolić, Dr. Vet. honey.
- Milivoje Šaletić, Dr. Vet. honey
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