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CONTENTS Page

Il\J"TR0�1.JUCTION ••••••••••••••••.. o • o • • • • o • • " • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • o • 1

Adoption of

Election of

PARTICIPATION IN

:Delegations

Agenda .......... o • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • o • • • • • • • • • •

Offi cc rs . o • • o • o . . .. . . o • • • • • • o • • o • • • • • • " • • , • • • • • • • • •

THE �ETING O (I I O O " o O I O O I O I O I O I O I O I o ■ 0 0 II I O I O I I O I I I ♦ • ♦

1

2

2

Observers from Coun.tries . 0 • Cl II • • lt • • • • • • • a . a . Q O . 0 • • • & • • 0 • • • 0 • • • • 4

Observers from International Organizati@ns..................... 4

FAO Sta.ff . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c;11 • · · · · · · · · .. . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Officers of the Meeting ............... 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

ANliJUAL MPORT OF 'I1HE EXECUTIVE COj/iIHTTEE ON THE ACTIVITIES· OF TI-IE COI1llill S PI ON •••.••• o • • " • • • ,. • o • • • o • • • • • • • • , • • o • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7

POSITION OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE IN EUROPE ....................... 13

Discussion .. Q. o ••• � ••• ". o. o. Q. o. o ••••• o. o • • • • o. o •••••• .,. � o.... 21

REPORT OF THE STANDING TECHNICAL Crn'.ffiUTTEE • • • . • • . • . • . • . • • . • • • • • • • • • 22

Reports of Ifoetings of the Research Members • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • 22

Prevention of the Introduction of �.xotic Types of Virus into Et1rope • . . . . . . • . . • • . • . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . . • . • . . 23

Supplies of Antisera of Exotic Types

Production of Vaccine against Exotic Types of the Virus

Supplies of Vaccine to Ifomber Countries?

when necessary

25

27

28

Further Consideration of tho CoGU11ission 1 s Overall Control Plan . 28

Discussion .... o • It • • • • • • • o • • • • • • • - • • • • • o • • • • o • • • • • • • o • • 4 • • o • • • 2 8

WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OIE ••••••••..•.•.•...•••••••• , •••••• , •• � 28

STATEMENT ON TR'DJ DISCUSSION OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE AT THE TENTH SESSION OF THE FAO CONFERENCE••••·•••·•••••••·•••••••••••• 30

Resolution No. 21/59 on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control •••.••• 31

FA0 1 s Activities in Connection with Foot-and-Mouth Disease ••• 32Control

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ii

Resolution No. 22/59 on Livestock Disease Control 33

POSSIBLE M.IBNDlvIENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION ••••••.•••••••.. , •••••••••• , 34

BUDGETS AND ACCOUNTS ••••••••••••••••••...• , •••• , • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • 34

FUTURE WORK OF THE COl..'.iJ\.lfISSION •••.....••.••• , • , ••.•• , ..••• , •.•.•••. , 34

RESQL UTI ON • , • 1 • ♦ • o • • • • • • o • • • • o • o • • • • • • • • • • -t n • o • 0 • a • 11 • • • o o • • • 11 • • • o • • 3 5

ANY OTHER BUSINESS·

APPENDIX I Budgets for 1960 and 1961 • • • • n • • • • • v • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • o o e • v • • • • •

APPENDIX II Accounts for tho Y�ar dnd�d 31 Dccomber 1959

AFPENDI:X III Summary of tho Meeting at the Island of Lindholm f • • • • • ♦ ♦ Ill ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 6

APPENDIX IV

37

42

45

Summary of tho Meeting in Brescia ••••• , •••••••..•••. , • • • • • . • • • 49

INTRODUCTION

The Seventh Session of the Commission was held in Rome on 16 - 18 March 1960, Dr, Norman C, Wright 9 Deputy Director-General,welcomed the delegations and observers on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He referred to the important developments since the last Session; tho increase in the Commission's membership and the growing danger of the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe. He referred to the close collabor­ation with the Office International des Epizooties and gave a warm welcome to Dr. Fran9a e Silva, President of the Office. He drew attention to the existence of types of the virus in Asia and Africa which are exotic to Europe and the disastrous results which could follow their introduction into the region, The closest international collaboration to prevent such introduction is necessary. He expressed his confidence that the S,ession would yield interesting and fruitful results.

Dr. van den Born (Chairman) thanked Dr. Wright and expressed his appreciation of the assistance which the Commission has always had from FAO. He welcomed the delegations and observers and ospocially tho delegations of recently joined Member Countries. Ho referrtld to the loss sustain0d by the Commission from the death of Mr. P. Rogan.

Dr, van den Born then intimat0d his int0ntion not to soek re-election as Chairman, mainly because of his many other duties.

Adoption of Agenda

The Commission adopted tho agenda as circulated, it being agreed that some of the items would be discussed during part of tho Session by .. delegations of Member Countrios only.

Election of Offic0rs

On the motion of tho delegation of Portugal, socondod by tho delegation of Denmark, Mr. J.N. Ritchie was unanimously elected Chairman for tho coming year, On the motion of the delegation of tho Netherlands, seconded by tho delegation of Ireland, Dr. A,E. Fran9a e Silva and Dr. S, 1'.iihajlovic u-orc olocted Vic0-Chaircen for the same period. To fill the remaining threo vacancies on the Executive Committ00, tho represontativos of Austria, Italy and the Nether­lands were elected on tho proposition of tho delegation of Yugoslavia, seconded by the delegation of Norway.

Because of tho retirement of Dr, Frenkel .thoro v,as a vacancy on th0 Standing Technical Committee.· On tho proposal of tho Chairman, seconded by tho dele­gation of Ireland, Dr. R. Willems (Belgium) was aripointod.

Mr, Ritchie,· tho newly 0loctod Chairman, expressed his appreciation on his appointment. In tho namo of tho Commission ho thanked Dr. van don Born for all the work he had done on behalf of tho Commission, for tho time he had givon to the Commission's activities and for all tho efforts he had made to encourage countries to become members. Ho vms glad· to knor, that Dr. van don Born had agreed to servo on tho Executive Committee,

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Delegations

Austria

Belgiwn

De110ark

Ireland

Italy

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2

PARTICIPATION IN THE l\lf.EETING

Hinisterialrat Dr, Richard P. Gaier Chief� Veterinary Services Ministry of Agriculture anr.l Forestry Stuben:dng 1 · Vienna I

Dr. C, Vanclenbergh Director, Chief Inspector of Veterinary Services Uinistry of Agriculture Brussels

Dr. R. Willems Director of the ITational

Veterinary Research Institute 99 Grooselenbcng Ucclc-Brussels

Dr. lJhilip W�ldiko Nielson Director of' Vetorinary Sorvicos Nyropsgac10 1 37 Coponhagon V

Mr. B. Nielson lhnistry of Agricul turo Copenhagen

Dr. E. Michelson Acting Director State Veterinary Research Institute Lindholm

· Dr. Patrick HarnettDirector of Veterinary Se:rvicosDepaitmont of AgricultureDublin

Professor Iginio AltaraDiroctor-Gonoral of Veterinary Services:l\linistry of Hoal thPiazza Dalmazia 1Romo

Dr. Aldo AdomolloGeneral Votorinary InspectorVeterinary SorvicosMinistry of HealthPiazza Dalmazia 1Romo

Italy contd.

Lux:embout1g

Netherlands

Norway

Portugal

United Kingdom

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Dr. G. Boldrini State Veterinarian Ministry of Hoalth Piazza Dalmazia 1 Rome Dr. B. Ubertini Director Istituto Zooprofilattico Sporimontale Via Cremona 282 Brescia

Dr. M. Thoisen Director of Veterinary Services Ministry of Agriculture Luxemburg

Dr. J.M. van don Born Director of Veterinary Services lsto v.d. Boschstraat 4 Tho Hnguo

Dr. Carolus Eygonraam Agricultural Attach� Notho:rlands Embassy Via P.S. Mancini 2 Romo

Dr. Jacob G. van Bokkum Acting Director Central Veterinary Institute Amsterdam

Dr. Mads Gaustad Director of Veterinary Services Department of Agriculture 11.kersgatan 42 Oslo

Dr. Armonio Eduardo Fran9a e Silva Diroctor-Goneral of Veterinary Services Rua Victor Cordon 4-3°

Lisbon

Mr. John N. Ritchio Chiof Veterinary Officor Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Hook Riso Tolvrorth9 Surbi ton 9 Surrey

Mr. Reginald A. Isaacson Principal. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food London

4

United Kingdom Dr. I.A. Galloway contd. Director

Yugoslavia

Research Institute (Animal Virus Diseases) Pirbright, Surrey

Dr. Sava Mihajlovi6 Director of Federal Veterinary Services Sc1vska 35/V Belgrade

Mr. Vlastimir Ili6 Secretary, Federal Veterinary Services Savsk:a 35/v Belgrade

Observers from Countries

Cyprus

Finland

Franco

Israel

Switzerland

U.S.A.

Dr. A. Orhan Chief Veterinary Officer 18, Mohmet Ak:if Nicosia

Dr, T. Kokk:onon First Secrotar;y-Ministry of Foreign Affa.irs Helsinki

Dr. H. Gasse Director of Veterinary Services Ministry of Agriculture 78, rue do Varenno Paris, 7cm.o

Professor A. Ko□ron Director of Veterinary Institute Rishon lo Zion

Dr. E. Fritschi Director of Federal Veterinary Services Berno

Dr. C.N. Dnle Chiof i European Hission for Rosoarch

on Animal Diseases American Consulate Amsterdam

Observers from International Organizations

International Office of Epizootics (OIE)

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Dr. Arinenio E. Fran91.1 e Silva President of OIE 12, ruo do Prony Paris

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5

Observers from International Organizations contd.

International , Dr. R. Vi ttoz Offico of •Director, OIEEpizootics (OIE) 12, rue do �rony

Permanent Com­mi ttoo of tho International Veterinary Congresses

Commission for Tochnical Co­operation in Africa South of tho Sahara (IBED)

FAO Staff

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Paris2

1 Jome

Dr. R. Will oms President of tho Pornanont Commission of

Foot-and-11outh Disease of OIE 12 9 rue do Prony Paris

2 17omc

Dr. Giusoppo Boltlrini Hinistry of Hoa.1th Piazza Dalmazin 1 Rone

Dr. I.A. Galloway Director Research Institute (Aninal Virus Diseases) Pirbright Surrey

Dr. K.V.L. Kostovon Director Ani□al Production and Health Division FAO

9RODO

Dr. Ervin A. Eichhorn Chief Anioal Hoalth Branch FAO, Ron�

Dr. W. Ross Cockrill Votorinari.'.:m Aninnl Health Branch FAO, RorJo

Dr. Erik Fogodby Secretary, European Commission

for tho Control of Foot-and-Ifouth Disease Animal Hoalth Branch FAO, �

Sir Thooas Dalling Consultant, European CoDmission for tho

Control of Foot-2.nd-lfouth Disease Animal Hoalth Branch FA.O, B.9.8£.

7

.Amrn.AL RCPORT OF TM EXECUTIV� COI.ITUTT�E ON THE

:�CTIVITIES OF THE Cff.:U.iISSION

The following roport was prosonted and vms agrood�

Tho E.x:ocutivo Conni ttoo not in Vionna, Austria, on 22 - 24 S01)tor:1b0r 1959. In adc1i tion to tho menbors of· tho Cor,1r,1i ttoo thor'-' wero prosont, during part of tho Dooting:-·

Dr. R.K. Stariko, Acting Director-Genoral of Veterinary Services, Federal Ropublic of Gorwany; Dr. E. Fritschi, Director, Federal Veterinary Offico� Switzerland; Dr. Henry Oborfold, Chief, Votorinary Sorvicos and Dr. T. Kobusiewicz, Chief, Foot-and.-1huth J)isonoc Institute, Poland. All the above woro invited to the nooting by tho Diroctor-Goneral, FAO, with the agreonent of tho G0vornmont of Austria. J3y special invitation of tho GovornDent of Austria 9 Professor I. Paschef, Diroctor of Veterinary Servi cos and Dr. Scnordjie,v 9 Diroctor

9 Virus Ro search Institute 9 Bulgaria

also attended during part of tho nooting.

Tho Secretariat of tho Cor.unission roportecl on tho recent work carried out and decisions wore taken on future activities. Thero was also a general discussion on tho foot-and-□outh disease position in countries in Europa from both national and international aspects.

Standing Technical C0Ll0ittoo

In accordance with tho decision taken at tho Sixth Session of tho Cor,mission

9 tho research oeubors of tho Standing Technical Cor.1r.1i ttoo uot

at the Virus Research Instituto, Lindholl:1, Denr.1c1rk on 7 - 9 July 1959. Tho Chaii'nan and Socretary-Gonoral of tho OIE Cor:1nission on Foot-ancl-I<louth Disease weru also prosont. Laboratory G.nd rosoaTch problons w0re discussed. A report of this uooting is includ6d in tho report of tho Standing Technical Con□ittee.

Notes on Visits raado during tho Year

Since tho Sixth Session monbors of tho Secretariat have □ado visits to sovoral veterinary authorities and instit�tes in different countr{os to obtain recent information 011 tho fuot-and�uouth disonso situation and to discuss control and rosoo.rch· problor.rn.

Visi.t to Norvmy

Because of its rare occurronco, foot-and-mouth �isoase doos not present a serious problem in Norway.. Souo of tho outbroaks, ho1,vover 9 are of con­siderablo intorest from an epizuoti)lLJgical point of viow.

Tho first uutbroak occurred in 1926 and was cL,al t with 9 drastically

9

by 1Jurning duvm tho infected farm. Since then, tho policy in Norway has boen stanping-out together with tho strict application of votorinary control measuros1 vaccination has never boon practised.

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The Norwegian veterinary authorities are strongly of opinion that air­borne transmission of the virus has accounted for several of the outbreaks of the disease in Norway. Outbreaks have occurred only when foot-and-mouth disease has been prevalent in the northern part of Denmark and always in the districts bordering the Oslo Fjord and along the eastern coastline down to the southern tip of the country. The veterinary authorities in Sweden and Denmark also hold similar views on air-borne transmission of the virus� the disease occurs in the Danish islands when it is present in northern Germany and outbreaks are found in Sweden when eastern Denmark is infected. This hypothesis of air-borne transmission of the virus in windy areas, divided by the sea, is supported by the results of laboratory experiments carried out in Denmark by the United States Department· of Agriculture in collaboration with the Danish Virus Research Institute.

An interesting experience in Norway concerned the occurrence of primary outbreaks, on ten farms situated along the railway line between southern Norway and Oslo, associated with the transport of imported in­fected pigs. Each of the infected farms was within a hundred yards of the railway line whioh the personnel of each farm had to cross in order to reach the highway. The disease appeared on each of the farms about a week after the infected pigs had been transported along the line. This experience is very similar to that reported from Switzerland in 1956 when infected pigs in transit to Italy caused fivB primary outbreaks on farms along the railway line from Basle to Chiasso.

Visit to the Veterinary Institute in Brescia2

Italy

At the meeting of the research members of the Standing Technical Committee, Professor Ubertini gave an account of the production of kidney tissue culture virus in a pilot plant, established at the Veterinary Institute in Brescia, Italy. Some 300 liters of virus are prepared each week and vaccine prepared from this virus has been shovm, .in many experiments with guinea-pigs, to have satisfactory immunising properties. It was felt that it was now necessary to oarry out similar types of strictly controlled laboratory experiments with highly susceptible cattle.

The Brescia Institute has no facilities for such experimental work and it was suggested that the possibility of· carrying out agreed tests on such cattle in Denmark should be explored. Consequently, the Director of the Danish Veterinary Institute for Virus Research and members of the Commission 1 s Secretariat visited Brescia on 26 September 1959. Agree-ment was reached on close collaboration betvveen the Institutes in Denmark and Brescia. The vaccines for testing will be prepared at Brescia and their immunizing properties for cattle will be the subject of experiments at the.Danish Institute. The experiments will include duration of immunity, challenge being carried out at different intervals following the injection of the vaccines. Monovalent vaccine will be used in the first experiments �nd trivalent vaccine in tho subsequent work. It was suggested that the· Secretariat of the Commission should take a close interest in the experiments,

9

Visit to Israel

The object of the visit to Israel was to study the epizootic there, caused by virus of the Asia I type. The virus, exotic to Israel, was first recognised in the country in 1958 1 having been introduced, probably, from eastern neighbouring countries. In all, 12 outbreaks occurred at that time. (In Israel an outbreaf means the presence of foot-and-mouth disease in a farming community, of which the:re are some 950 in the country.) These out-­breaks were mild in character, the virus showing little tendency to spread. At the end of 1958, it appeared that the Asia I type of virus was no longer present in Israel.

During 1959 some outbreaks caused "by virus of type "0'' were dealt wi. th, In the middle of October, however, virus of Asia I type was again demon­strated in outbreaks of the disease in Israel near the Lebanese border. It is believed that this infection was introduced from Lebanon� virus of Asia I type has been found recently in Lebanon. Immediately before this outbreak in Israel occurred, some cattle from a community shown later to be infected, were movGd to Tel Aviv and a considerable number of outbroaks caused by virus of Asia I type occurred in the Tel Aviv area, In November a community near Haifa also became infected. Al though the virus now shmved a tendency to spread more than in 1958 9 the veterinary authorities in Israel considered it a "slow" virus. Cattle which had been vo.ccinated against viruses of 0

7 A and C types were found to be fully· susceptible to the Asian

type.

Very strict veterinary control measures were enforced, A considerable number of herds, comprising some 500 cattle and some 200 pigs were slaughtered: all movement of livestock into and out of the three infected areas was pro­hibited: traffic of people and animals into the farm was controlled.

No vaccine for use against virus of Asia I type was available in any country when this epizootic appeared in Israel. A kidney tissue virus vaccine was immediately produced in Israel on a large scale and tested in the field for immunising properties. A field trial with Kimron's egg­attenuated virus was carried out on some 10,000 cattle.

The recent epizootic in Israel and the measures taken for its control and eradication are of much interest to Europe. This is tho first occasion· on which an epizootic of foot-and-roouth disease caused bJ' an

exotic type of the virus has bGon studied in detail. The experience in Israel will have a considerable bearing on methods to be adopted for the control of this type of virus and

9 if tho vacci�ation trials are

succossful 9 Israel ·will prol)ably bo in a posi tio:n to c1ssist countries in Europe to control invasion by virus of Asia, I type, should it ever occur in them.

Visit to Turkey

The Commission has always taken much intcres.t in the foot-and-mouth disease situation in Turkey and has discussed its epizootiological im­portance at several sessions,. Because tho disease is enzootic in the country and because of Turkey's geographical position forming a link

10

between Asia and Europe, there is a constant threat of invasion by the disease from eastern Turkey to Greece and Bulgaria. Tho last invasion was in 1957 during tho serious epizootic in Turkey caused by virus of type 110n, The spread of the disease in tho invaded countries was arrested by vaccination and the application of strict veterinary sanitary measures. The Commiseion has also discussed tho special problem which has arisen from the presence of the exotic virus of Asia I type in tho near eastern countries. 'l�is virus is now showing a tendency to spread. Because it has now been cemonstratcd in Iran, Syria, Israel and Lebanon as well as in some countries further east in Asia, it may very likely also appear in Turkey.

The control of foot-and-mouth disease in Turkey must first depend vety largely on va�cination and, for this purpose, large amounts of vaccine will be reqw.red. Tho temporary foot-and-mouth disease laboratory at the Etlik Votorintry Institute near Ankara has received a considerable part of the necessary equipment for the purchase of which international funds were allotted lad year. ft is planned to produce natural virus; some 100,000 doses of IBQnovalent vaccine in 1960 and some 500,000 doses in subsequent years.' Tiese arc very limited amounts for tho huge livestock population in Turkey. I� is hoped, however,. that large amounts of culture virus will b0 produced in the fairJ.y noar future, to serve as a source for large-scale vaccine prtparation. Tho adoption of the best possible measures for control of the disease in Turkey, especially in European Turkey is of the greatest irroortance for Europe. If tho virus of Asia I type invaded Turkey 1 tho tem1orary laboratory will be able to produce some vaccine for its control, If. however, tho infection showed a tendency to spread, muc� diffic�lty would ½e experienced in preventing its soepihg through to Europoan Tur:rny wtth the possible invasion of Grecco and Bulgaria. Under such circumstances, much morey\Tatcine than could now be produced in Turkey would be reciuired for the control_ of tho infection and at this stage ob­jection to the use of attenuated virus-vaccine would largeiy have disappeared.

Visit to Greece

The new foot-and-mouth disease institute near Athens is now ready to go into production. It was built for tho production of tongue tissue culture .virus as the rnurce of virus �or vaccine preparation. At tho present time, however, there is.a scaroity of tongues and it· has been necessary to begin prcduction of kidn0y tissue culture virus. The successful results inQcatc that there i� very good hope that the pre­paration of· vaccine in Greece can, in the future, be based on virus from this source.

In Greece, the main problem is to control invasion of tho disease from Turkey. The situation in Greece was saii-isfactory in 1958 and 1959 because of the rola-t:'..vely low incidence of tho ·a.iseaso in Turkey.

The presence of virus of.Asia I type in tho N:;iar East countries and tho possibility of �ts entrance into Turkey is caus�ng much concern to the Greek. veterinary au,hori ties. They consider that pr,,rt of the future control policy shoulil. bo the keeping by Greece of a z·:mo along tho Turkish

·11

border under 1,ermanent vaccini:ltion against all the types of tho virus present in Turkey, including Asia I, if and whon it appears in that country. Thoy also realise that vaccination should be oxtonded also to a similar zone in Bulgaria along the Turkish border, For this puri)oso and under tho-so circum­stances, it is obvious that only inactivated vaccine should be used. Good veterinary relations exist between Greece and Bulgaria, so that such a vaccination plan could be carried out. Tho Grook authorities have agreed to assist Bulgarii in controliing foot-and-mouth disease and to doliior, at a ra:duced price, any roq_uirod vaccine, During tho visit, it was suggested that the Secretary of tho Cormnission and the Director of the Greek Foot­and�Mouth Disease Institute should, togethor,visit Bulgaria to study the disease and its control on tho spot.

It has boen recommended that, normally� laboratories in Europe ... ould not work ,vi th exotic types of tho virus. Tho Animal Virus Research In-s ti tute 9 Pirbright ( the Vforld Reference Laboratory) is oq_uipped for tho diagnosis of these ty1)es, At this Institute 9 work is procooding on· the. development of vaccines against the Asian and African types of virus.

Visit to Svd tzerland

Members of tho Secretariat visited Switzerland in January 1960 and met the Swiss veterinary c.1,uthorities with whom discussions of the work of tho Commission took place.

Visit to France

Members of the Secretariat visited Franco, also in January 1960 and discussed the disease l)t>sition in tho country and the procedures now ndo1Jted for its control. It was learned that most of Franco is now freo · of foot-and-mouth disease and that the number of outbreaks in many depart­ments is very limited. The areas mostly involved arc Normandy, Vendee and a central area around Cantal, in each of which the disease has tcnde.d to persist for some years. A law exists whereby mayors, on the advice' of the veterinary authorities, may decree that slaughter _be carried out. It is understood that a law is to be enacted whereby cattle. must be vaccinated before being movod 9 under certaiP circumstances. Some 7,500,000 cattle wore vaccinated in 1959.

Attendance of the Secretariat at International Meetings

The XXVIIth Session of 0IE. Foot-and-mouth disease was an item of �:,.o agenda for the 0IE Session huld on 11 - 1 G May '1959. 1l1he delegation from the U.S.S.R. gave an account of control of the disease by vaccination. Practically all the vaccine now in use is modified virus produced in rabbits, i.o, lapinized virus� it is believed that the modification of the virus in rabbits is the most practical and most satisfactory method for vaccine production. The hope was expressed that vaccination, together with the application of strict veterinary measures,will result in bringing foot�and-mouth disease completely under control in the U.S.S.R. within a few years. It would appear, howev·er-, that foot-and-mouth disease has been ��pt u�der good control in the U.S,S.R� for many years.

12

The delegation from Canada gavo interesting information on the financial losses to Canada from the small epizootic in 1952, Tho lossos i including direct effects and the interruption of trade in animals and animal products amounto.d -'uo US$ 900,000,000: this- indicates tho enormous economic im­portance of foot-and-mouth disease,

The XVI International Voterinar ress Congress of tho World Vetcrinar Association

Foot-and-mouth disease was also on tho agenda of this Congress held in Madrid, Spain, on 21 - 27 May 1959. ThGre was a paper on "The Epizootio­logical Picture of Foot-and-Mouth Disease" and, by invitation of the· author 1

tho Secretary· ui ti.1u Cv1UJi�j_.J,::...J..v.!.l? VUV.!.11.. J_-'t.,.U .... v .iJ..L V,1...Lv V�V-.J...J....L ... 5 U.-'-i..:tVL .. , ... tJ_:_\J.i..LCI �Vllh ..... short communications concerning the disease wore presontodg the most im­portant dealt with the cultivation of tho virus in kidney tissue and vaccines made from such virus as well as the modification of the virus in embryonated eggs, rabbits and mice. It would appear that such vaccines will shortly be developed to a stage for practical application.

Collaboration with 0IE

In accordance with the decision taken at the Sixth Session of the Commission, representatives of tho Commission and of 0IE mot in Paris on 9 May 1959 to consider details of collaboration between tho two organizations. The subject for discussion concerned collaboration betwetn the European Commission and the 0IE Foot-and-Mouth Ilisease Commission, Thore present · at the meeting were the President of 0IE, the Chairman and Socretary-Genoral of the 0IE Commission, the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and members of tho Secretariat -of the· European Commission with some ot_hor representatives of both organizations. Following some discussion, in which all-round willingness for collaboration was freely expressed, the respective Secretariats prepared a draft of a suggested agrooment on collaboration:

(a) The European Commission has arranged that members of its· StandingTechnical Committee will hold annual laboratory mootings.

To these meetings there will be invited the President and tho Secretary­General of the 0IE Commission and a small number of laboratory workerson foot-and-mouth disease from any part of the world. The selectionof those laboratory workers will be made jointly by the EuropeanCommission and by 0IE, The main objoct of these meetings is theconsid,nation of details of specific aspects of laboratory work: hence 9

the meetings Yrill be 110:..J. in ::i.u.'uv1a torio,� -i{Di:i.1.'<:l a s1�0uial t&L:llll.J.y_uucan be demonstrated.

At these meetings, also, suggestions will be made for items for theagenda for the meetings convened by DIE. The reports of these laboratory meetings will bo mado ava{lable also to 0IE.

(b) Meetings for the consideration of foot-and-mouth disease t0chnical subjectsof a more g(meral nature w::.11 be convened by 0IE every two or three years.The Europe.an Commission for tho Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease will

13

be invited to send representatives to these rneetings. The reports of these meetings will be made available also to the European Commission.

The proposed agreement was accepted by· the Executive Committee at its meeting in Vienna on 22 - 24 September 1959, It will be submitted for approval, at the XXVIIIth OIE Session in May, 1960,

POSITION OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE IN EUROPE

Delegations of Member Countries and olJServers gave accounts of the position. The following are swnmaries of their statements:

In Portugal there were a considerable number of outbreaks during 1959. The disease spread from the eastern part of the country which first became infected from Spain where foot-and-mouth disease is enzootic. Strict police sanitary measures were adopted in controlling the disease and some vaccination, using vaccine imported from the Netherlands was carried out with satisfactory results. The country is again free of foot-and-mouth disease. Virus type A

caused the outbreaks,

Plans are now being considered for the establishment of a foot-and-mouth disease institute in Portugal.

It was reported by the delegation of Portugal that foot-and-mouth disease continuel':l to be i"Jresent in Spain and that virus types O, A and C cause outbreaks.

In Belgium there were only 51 outbreaks in 1959g it was stated that the disease was less prevalent in 1959 than in any year since 1950, In November 1959, however, a small epizootic occurred in two prbvinces on the Franco-Belgian frontieri the invasion being apparently from France. Some 350,000 cattle have been vaccinated and no further outbreaks have been reported in the area simce 25 February of this year. Movement of animals in those provinces was pro­hibited except for those for slaughter� Typing of virus was carried out from each outbreak _in which suitable material was available. In all, 16 samples were typed and in each, virus type A was identified.

Since .A,pril 1959? only three small outbreaks have occurred in the Nether­

lands. . The disease appeared in February 1960, firstly in an isolated farm some 30 km. from Amsterdam, in young cattle vn1ich had been vaccinated only once. The second outbreak, also near Amsterdam, was in unvaccinated pigs and sheep. The third· outbreak

? which occurred a few days later, was on

premises· some 30-40 km. south of Amsterdam: 7 unvaccinated young cattle were infected. In each outbreak virus type O was identified, All the animals involved were slaughtered and strict police sanitary measures were imposed,

From careful enquiries it seemed highly probable that all three outbreaks were associated with the �scape of virus from the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Institute, Amsterdam, through the Amsterdam abattoir, part of which is reserved for accommodating cattle used in testing vaccines, Precautions are in force for the prevention of leakage of virus from the Institute and the abattoir and stricter measures are now receiving consideration. Immediately before the

- F - 1;.015

14

outl;Jreaks occurred, work of the Insti tutc at the abattoir vms in progress with virus type 0,

A new institute will soon be available for foot-and-mouth disease work in Utrecht.

Since the last Session of the Commission ? only one outbreak of the disease has occurrecl in Denmark ? viz. in May 1959. A young calf in a small herd vaccinated three weeks previously was the only animal to show symptoms. The calf and the pigs on the farm· were slaughtered ? but not tho adult cattle none of which ever showed symptoms. It was accepted that the infection in the calf was derived from the vaccine. In f>enma:ck some 100,000 cattle are vaccinated annually in 6,uco-7,000 farms. Vaccine for this purpose is provided at a reduced price, Tho view was expressed that annual vaccination need not be continued in Denmark and that it was only when the disease was present in some parts of western Germany that vaccination in Dcnmai·k was necessary.

The delegation of Denmark gave some infor1-;iation on tho occurrence of foot­and-mouth disease in Finland. There had been some outbreaks near the Russian frontier and specimens from-infected cattle had been examined at the Lindholm Institute ? Denmark. The first specimen yielded virus type O which appeared to be very similar to tho strain of virus ? type o1? in Lindholm. A further40 specimens were received and of them, only six were found to be pathogenic when tested in calves ? miceJ guinea-pigs and on kidney cell cultures. Most of the specimens contained only small amounts of material. Somo samples of serum from Finland ? obtained from cattle some 3 weeks after the disease was diagnosed in them failed to show tho presence of antibodies of foot..:and-mouth disease. This raised tho q_uestion of whether all tlb.e outbreaks in Finland vvere 9 in fp,ct, foot-and-mouth disease. The clinical symptoms of infected cattle were uriderstood to be mostly small vesicular lesions on tho udder and temp�ratures of most of the infected animals had apparently rcmaincd.n?i�1al, The cattle had not boon vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease.

The delegation of Norway stated that thore hac.l been no foot-and-mouth disease in the country since 1952. There arc strict regulations concerning imports of animals and products of animal oriBin. No cattle have been im­ported for some years and� as far as possible, products are imported only from places where tho foot-and-mouth disease j,osi tion is goocl.

Tho observer of France stated that the situation had considerably improved in France du:i�i ng 1959. About one third of the 18,000 ? 000 cat�le in France were vaQcinated. A decree had been dravm up whereby all cattle to be moved out of a· commune .would ha-v:e. to be vaccinated ? and in some· "clepartoments" vaccination of the whole cattle. population would bo compuloory. In. some "departements" acti.on had already· been taken. ·

· ·

The observer of France also explained that vaccination will be made com­pulsory_ for all cattle over six months which aro to be moved out of the district, · By thls means it is hoped that all the cattle on a·farm will be vaccinated. The ca ttlo for fattening and brcecling · purposes which are to bo moved will be eartagged and will be accompanied by a vaccination certificate. Certificates for cattle going to· the slaughterhouse will be issued by the local administrative authorities.

15

A slaughter ·policy has already bee·n carried out in Finistere and the establishment of a quarantine station in this "doparteoent" for live cattle to be exportod is being considered. Rogulations have also been issued con­cerning the types of vehi6los for the transport of animals, and for the dis­infection of these vehicles.

In 1959, there wore some 6,000 outbreaks of tho disease. The position has improved further in 1960 ·when in January there ,,oro 289 and 135 in the first half of February. It Yvas expect0d that tho position wouhl continue to im­prove.

No foot-and-nouth disease has boon diagnosed in the Grand Duchy of Luxembcurg for tho past three years. The delegation appealed to neighbouring countries to do everything possible to control tho disease and said that Luxer.1-·bo.rg would give any assistance to offoct control.

The position in Svri tzerland is that tho last case of foot-and-mouth disease occurred in July 1959. In 1959 there wore 13 outbreaks near the French frontier, caused by virus typo O ·and A. Strict precautionary measures are taken at the frontiers of the four neighbouring countries at each of which there is a considerable amount of tourist and other traffic.

In Italy, since Soptenber 1959 9 whon a report was made to the Commission's �ecutivo Cornmittee

9 the following nur:1ber of outbroaks had occurredg October

1959 - 755; November 1959;.. 11 073; Decomlxlr 19:j9 - 1,4909 January 1969 --2�318;

February 1960 - 1,948.

During this periou 1,542 s�ecimens had· boen exaninedg virus type 0 was found in 522 (35.95 poroont), · t;ype A�i:n,9l8 (63.91 percent) and type C in 2 ( 0.14 percent). Virus type A, which 11as most prevalent in December, January and February, seemed to have some difference in antigenic capacity than other types A, al though this could not be shown by compler.1ent-fixation tests. This observation seened to explain tho exceptionally rapid spread of the disease in January and February.

Trade and traffic in animals is responsible for much of tho spread of tho disease in Italy and reduce the efficiency of control based on police sanitary measuresg vaccination is only carried out .. on so□e of the livestock.

Cattle for fattening and breeding imported into Italy are vaccinated at their arrival timlcss vaccination has alreacLy been carried out in the country of origin. The disease has, on occasion·, hov✓evor, been diagnosed in cattle certified to have been already vaccinated. All ii�ported cattle are placed in quarantine for 1 - 3 days before being distributed. An excopticn is made with cattle from the Netherlands, Swi tzorland and Yugoslavia ,vi th which countries special conventions have been nade.

On 19 October 1959, foot-ancl-nuuth disease occurred in Lmver Austria near the Czechoslovakian border after a period of over two years' freedon in Austria, and was probably introduced froo tho adjacent part of Czecho­slovakia whore there was a considerable amount of foot-ancl"--nouth disease at that time. Virus type O vms diagnosocl in both regions. This outbreak in Austria concerned six herds� comprising 31 cattle, 104 lJigs and 12 goats, all of which wore slaughtered. Vaccination was carried out along tho

16

frontier and in zones arouncl.·each disease centreg soDo 75,000 animals were vaccinated, the vaccines used being either bivalent or trivalent. Austria was declared free on 5 January 1960 and no outbreaks have been reportocl. since then. The vaccine was prepared in Austria and gave good results. Facilities in Austria are adequate to prepare necessary supplies of the classical types of vaccine. Tho dose is 8 ml, and the cost is 550 Austrian shillings per litre.

The delegation of Austria gave sooo infor□ation on the disease position in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Runania, Bulgaria� Poland, Eastern Gcn.1any and the u.s.s.R.

On his visit to Czechoslovakia on 12 Novenbor 1959, Dr. Gaier was inforned that the first recent outbroak of foot-ancl-r:10uth clisease occurred in the district of Brno and before it vras found, the inf0ction had spread to six other parts of the area. Tho disease eventually appeared in tho :following districtsg Hihlava (6 coununities, 17 horcls ? virus typo o), K0snice, SlovRkia (1 coomm.nity, 27 hercls 9 virus type 0-t Bratislava (1 comr.mnity, 1 herd, virus type O); Budejovico (1 co□munity, 1 hord 9 virus type C).

After the beginning of January there vi-Gro no further outbreaks until a re cont occurrence again in tho district of Budejovi ce ( 1 comrauni ty 9 1 herd, virus type A).

Control moasuros included notifi�ation, visits by district veterinarians, tho application of strict veterinary polic0 ooasures (�uarantine of the herd and the cor.1r.mni ty), taking samples and virus typing in tho vaccine-producing Insti tuto at Teresin, ring vaccination in two zones around the infocted m:mtres i.e. (1) up to 10 kr:i.- all rw;-iinants and pigs vaccinated; (2) up to 20 kn. -vaccination of sheep and goats. All affected ani□als except pigs in tho in­fected herds receivocl hyperimr.mne sorun. Slaughter is not cor.1pulsory.

Vaccination, using bivalent vaccine, is carried out in an area, 20- kn. deep, of cattle along the frontiers of eastern Gor□any, Poland� U.S.S.R., Hungary and Austriag some 800

9000 aniraals have be0n vaccinated,

During the second half of 1959, so□e foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks vvere reported in Hunga:i;x near its Rumanian border in tho country of Hyjdu­Bihar and virus typo O 1;ras identified. Fron a long-distance telephone conversation un 3 March 1960, inforuati::m ·was rocei ved by Dr. Gaier that no new outbreaks had been reported and that only ,mo comr:iuni ty was still in quarantine. It is considered that 9 if no further outbreaks have ·occurred, it nay be taken that Hungary is again free •.lf foot-and-nouth disease.

In Rumania there were some rather severe outbreaks in seven rogions in the oastorn part of the countryg at tho beginning of 1960, however, only four of thorn were still infected. Virus type O has boen identified. From a long distance telephone conversation, Dr. Gaier loarnod on 8 March 1960 that Rumanitt is now considered to bo froe cf f,)ot-and-nouth disease. At a visit in the middlo of February 1960, Dr. Gaier was infor□od of the control measures. They include tho application of strict veterinary police measures and quarantine ? together with vaccinat:1011 in a "irido zone surrounding out­breaks. Slaughter is not carried out. It was stated that vaccine pre­pared according to tho Waldr.1ann technique is issuecl frori1 tho Pasteur Institute,

17

Bucarest. Vaccirw is also ubtained fr: u tho Island x? Rieos.

In Bulgaria, foot-and-@�uth disease was present in tho oastorn part of the country in 1959 and alsu during the first □·,nths �f this year. It appears that tho disease is n:;w under control.

At the end of 1959, Dr. Gaior visited.Eastern Goroany, including tho island of Rioms, Poland and tho U.S.S.R. Ho f ,und that in all tho throe c,:,untries, foot-anLl-1,1uuth disease was still pro sent hut \"/BS nu l<>nger a serious Donaco. Conploto erac'i.ioa tion r.ras expected in the near future. Tl10 cuntr,Jl moasuros wore sir:.1ilar t,., those dcscri bod in the otllor c _,nntrios in oastorn fur0po.

Tho clelegati1.;n of Yugoslavia reported tl-1C1t ,,utbr0aks 0f fvot-antl-r.1outh disease 0ocurred in Nover'.lber 1959 in 7 farus in Kladovo on the Yugoslav-RUTianian border, clue to virus typo o. Tho infoctotl fa1°r:s i7oro near a store which supplied f'uroign boats. The 27 cattle inv ...,l vecl ,.wro slaughtorod. J3otwoon 1.3 ancl 27 l\Tc.,vonber, 34 oth0r far:i:.is in the: vioini ty and 9 farr.1s in J3rza Polanka crn;1Emni ty became infected i 1 38 shoep, 2.32 pigs ,:i,ml 27 ca ttlo ;:roro slaughtorocl. Control L10asuros 1,,,,ero organizecl at on� n;1c'c votorinnrians woro draftocl into tho infoctoul. nncl_ neighbouring aroas in grvups nm1. 'J·)r!cocl so that t,nly cine group worked in tho infected aroa, □aking daily ins�octions of ani□als a�d applyins veterinaisy polico uoasuros ancl disinfoctiun. A soc::mcl g1°oup in thu neighbvuring areas vaccinated all clovon-h,Jofod aninals bot;inning at tho periphery of a zono around tho inf0ctod area. A third gr�up inspected �ni□als outside this zone. All this work, carried cillt simul tanoously, proved highly satisfactory arn1 brought tho cliseaso rapidly under control.

Movoaont of people, aniuals ancl vehicles was prohibited and was also contr"llecl by tho 1,1ili tia in tho stnrountlint; aroas. Fror,1 13 Novonber to 4 Decornber 16,467 cattle �nd 2.3,294 sheep woro vaccinatocl.

The strong suggostiun was that tho �utbroaks woro rolated to tho boat crews fr0r.1 neighbouring countries.

Tho delegation alsu reported 011 a nceting in Rtmania. In accordance YJi th Article 22 of tho Votorinary Sanitary Agroouont ootvrnon Yugos'lavia and Ruuania of 4 August 1956, roprosontativos of tho votorinary sorvicos of tho two countries net at Timissoara and Bucarest on 15-19 Dece□bor 1959. After reviewing tho r.ieasuros for provonti,.:in of tho clisonso ad,.,pted in tho tw,, c .mnti0ies a protocol was signed, concerning tho most imp0rtant control r.1oasuros to be takon against tho disease on tho Cl,Dn0n fr::,ntier and on transp._,rt arrangouonts for anir:1als, products of aniE1al origin and raw Datorials which nic:;ht ocnvoy tho infection. Tho p:cotucol also alluv,rs fvr cuorcli1ntion of tho rrork uf votorinal"Y offioors on tho fr .ntier aml for regular nootings ,:.,f roprosontativos of tho votorinary services of tho twu c�untrios.

A further outbreak of foot-anc.1-:-.iouth tlisoc.•.s:,· was dic.c;n._)sod on 11 January 1960 on a farr.1 in Yugoslavia noar the river Boc;oj. Fi vo hoifors wore infected� virus t;ype O being identified. The inf'octi0n probably was inti"vtlucocl fror:i Ruraania by ri vcr traffic. In all, 85 cattle and 12 pie;s wero slaughtorocl and 12,620 cattle and 1,250 pigs wero vaccinatocl, using nonvvalent vaccine. No

further ,mtbroaks occurred .a.ftor 21 · January. Sono .300 veterinarians applied tho nocossary cantrol □oasures.

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18

An sttoupt t,) arre.ngo a r.10otinG , ... i th vot.:.:�i:L:tirnr., i: 'O, 1 I 1,:,;ii·;,·,:,_�- h;_: r, ·10:G fLl'G boon successful.

At a Mooting with BulBarian veterinarians in Bolgrado in February 1960 ooasuros ·,voro olab,Jra tecl to prevent infection f:ron Turkoy and Bulcsaria. They include vaccinatiJn in fr�ntior areas.

It Ylas stn teLl that spociuons fron all prinary outbreaks aro oxat1ined for typos of virus. Dr. Gnllc,way intinatNl his 1:1illinc;noss to oxaninc any spociracns presenting uifficulty.

In the Uni tecl Kin";dora, there were no outbreaks in Scotland or Northern Ire-land in 1959. In Englancl and Wales, however, thoi·o vrnro 45 outbreaks of which 9 were prinary and 36 secondary. In 6 of tho lJrioai·y .. mtbroaks there was no spread� fre;m 3

i hovrnvor, there were 4 9 3 an.cl 29 socundary outbreaks, rospoct­

ively. Tho 29 secom1a:cy , utbro8ks aroso because uf infected anir;ials passing thruugh narkots. The usual conploto slaughter policy in all its details was always carriou out.

Typing 0f thG virus in all ,.,utbroaks was r:.iado.

In 1959 tho typos of virus in the pri□ary uutbroaks woro 0 in 5, A in 1 and C in 3. It was f,)uncl that typos 0 and C 1:rnro tho causos of outbroaks bGliovGd to bu asscciat0d with imported uoat ancl t;n)o A Hi th tho disoasG balieved to havo been introduced fro□ Franco.

In 1960 there havo beon 7 pririmry .,utbroaks i fro1:1 5 of nhich it was known that n:) socunc.1o.ry outbr0::1k had occurred. Fror.1 ,:me, thoi·o vms one secondary outbreak and it is yet tuo early to sa;y whether any sproad fI· r:i the other outbreak has takon place. All the 0utbroaks irr 1960 wore caused by virus type 0 except ,mo in vrhich typo SAT II vms identifiocl. This .,utbroak occurroc1 011 a farr;1 within about a uilo of tho Pirbrie;h t Ins ti tuto. Fi vo cattlo woro showing synptoDs when foot-c1.ml-r:1outh disease was diagnosed on a faro. Tho 13 cattle and 9 pigs on tho farm were slaughtered. BGcauso thoro was a chance that another farn nay lrnve become infected, the 16 cattle on it Hore also slaughtered. No spread occurred. 'Throe vvoeks aftor tho clisonso was diagnosed restrictions were ro□ovod frora tho area. It was accopted that this outbreak was duo to an escape of SAT II virus fron the Pirbright Insti tutG. There was DC; eviclonce of direct contact but it seoned possible that the virus escaped thr:,ugh vonti-18 tors in a barn ccntaining cattle infected i;1i th tlrn virus and was convoyed to tho infected farr,1 by pigeons which wore prevctlont in a groon crop near theIns ti tuto. A full enquiry was r.1ac1o and a report, which is available, vms

·

issued. Certain further precautions are beinG taken but it is to bo noted that the institute has boon in existence f:ir 26 years, 11,orkines with different types of virus and that this is tho first occasion on which there has boon ovic1ence of a probablo es capo of vii0us. This occurrence i v,hi ch has no roal sie;nificance bocauso ')f tho moth.1Lls of oradicntiun practised in tho Uni tod Kingdom shows tho clanc;er which wc,ulcl attoncl tho hanl1line of exotic, typos of the virus in lab,:;ratorios in Europe where the olal)orato precautions taken at Pirbright arG not in forco.

No foot-ancl-;.10uth disease has occurred in Ireland since 1941 • It was stated that this fr'oedom is clue to tho precautions taken a[;'ainst the intro­duction of infection

? tho geographical si tuatL,n of t}10 c,iuntry and the action

taken in Great Britain in the control of the clisoaso.

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19

It vras pointed out that 9

provi .us to tho intr xlnctL,n uf th0 slaughter policy, foot-Rnd�Jonth disease was prevalont in Groat Brit6in anJ Ireland. ·,vi th the operatic.n of the slaughter policy

9 tho Llisoaso nos br�.ught under

control within a fe1✓ years. Tho successful ,.1easures9

-.;uich dic1 not inclUL1e vaccination, should enc .urage othor countries in �urvpe to adopt such a slo.ughtei· l)□licy whorever practicable.

Tho r,10st recont infuruati'.:m conc0:;_0ning f .,.:it-o.nd-nouth disco.so in Turkey and Gree co 1,7a,.s gi VGn b;;r Dr. Foeed by.

In Turkc:y9 during 1959 nftor a c0r.1parativoly g_uitit pei•iod� sooe 300 out­

breaks involving sor.10 6009 000 rur'.li112,nt s yrore r8portoc1.

The outbreaks in 1959 seemed tu bu a cuntinuo.tion of tho diseasG from tho 1957 outbreaks which sproo.d fror:1 the eastern pc.rt of tho country. At the bc3inning, the dise�so existed in a mild for□ anQ specicons suitnblo for typing were difficult to o·btain. In all, 37 sar.1:ples nere typed in 1959 and of them 34 ch.11)licato samples vrere examined at the Pirbri{s'ht Institute. Of the 34 samples, 28 were ic1ontified as virus typo o, 1 as typo C cmd 5 were negative.

Arrnngor.1ents have noV✓ been raade for more extensi vo typing and 3, courso of instruction in collecting sar.1plcs is being held in Anlrnra.

Veterinary and military control is cunstantly carriod 0ut along tho southern and eastern bordors of the country and vaccination is practised in the villages on tho Greek ancl Bule;arian frontiers in 'I'Lu·koy in an area, 15 kr;i. deep. Vaccine is being produced in a t0i.1porary laboratory near Ankara, some 100,000 doses aro expected to be available in 1960 and soae 500,000 doses in subsequent years. At the present ti□e vaccine is prepared from natural virus and sor,10 \Tork is in pro gross on tho cul ti vati .:m ,,f the virus on kidney cells �nd on uodifiGd viruses. It was stated that tho vaccine prepared in Turl:oy is giving satisfactory rGsults in tho field.

In Grooce, there was 1 outbreak in Soptc□bor, 1 in October and 5 in Doco�ber 1959. Each was associated with tho iLlportation of ccttle frora Turkey and in all of thr:>P -:-::..rus type O v1as iclentifioc1. Fen' a numbor of years, foot-aml-1110u-ch L1isoase ho.s b0on vrnll c,,ntrollocl in Groec0 by tho application of vot0rinary police □oasures ancl Llass vaccination.

No roport of the position in tho Goroan Fodoral Republic was available but Dr. Vi ttoz, following an exm:iinatiun of the OIE Monthly Circulars, gave an accuunt of the occurrences of the L1isease in 1959 arnl the first part of 1960.

In 1959, the nw.1ber of outbroaks was�-

January 1 2 � Febrwuy 1 � lfor.ch 6

April 2; Ifay 1 2 � Juno 7 July 22� .Aue;ust 2· � Soptcnbor 2 October 1 • ' November 1 t Doco1;1bor - 58.

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20

Thora have also been re_partod 33 outbreaks in January and 14 in Fobruary 1960.

Typing o:f tho virus showed. that in April and I�ay 9 1959, type13 A am1 C caused outbreaks; in JJoconbor 1959, tho typos wore O and A 9

which wore also identified in January anu February 1960.

Tho control measures carriocl out in tho Republic are 3-

(a) Applicntion of strict p_lico sanitary □oasuros;

(b) V3ccination, using bivalent or triv□lont vaccine, in zonessurxuunding outbreaks nnu. of all cattle in s0□0 of tho Landor.

(c) Slaughter, in accordance with Paragraph 49 of tho Law on Epi­zootics, whon tbo outbreak is cJf a clofinitoly limited typoand when slaughter is oxpectocl to result in eradication of thodisease f1°or.1 tho infected area, It vms reported that bottrnen 1 January 1956 and 30 April 1958, a total of 36,413 aninals had

boon slaughtered (7,142 c�ttlo, 277342 pigs, 1,846 sheep and 101

goats).

Those contr0l measures wore stated to bo highly effective, JJr, Vittoz said that r.mch of tho nbuvo inforr.1atio11 v1as containocl in tho OIE Bulletins and in the DIE monthly circulars.

The observer from Cyprus gavo an account of tho position on tho island. Frou 1917 until 1956 the island was froe from foot-anc1-L10uth clisoaso. In NoveL1ber 1956 9 tho diseaso was c1iasnosec1 in cattlo c.nc1 tho infoctine; virus, oxai:iined at tho Pirbright Insti tuto:,: was identified as typo A. Large scale vaccination was practised in tho spring of 1957: some 35,000 doses of monovalent vaccine ancl so□o 5,000 closes of bivalent vaccine from Italy being µsod. In October 1957� the disease was cliagLosed in sheep and the Pirbri0ht Institute identified virus type O in sai:1plos sent from the outbreak. All the cattle

9 sheep and pigs were vaccinated; on this occasion it was a

bivalent vaccine from Italy that was used.

In 1959, there were only 2 outbreaks in cattle and several in sheep and pigs. Vaccination was aBain carried out in 1959 and following vaccination

9 onl

only one animal - an 8 months old heifer - was found to be infectedg that was in November 1959.

Vaccination will be carried out again in 1960 and will be continued periodically until the diseaso is eradicated.

Tho observer from Israel gave the following account of tho recent epizootic in his country caused by virus type .Asia I�

The c1isoaso started with a serious outbreak in October 1959 in on0 settle­ment near tho Lebanese border. Before foot-and-mouth disease was diagnosed at tho above settlement somo calves had boen transported to the central part of the country and subs'dc1uently neighbou1°ing dairy herds became infected. From this focus of infection foot-and-mouth diseaso spread and four sub-districts in the central area became infected. During four vmeks, tho disease was kept within the central infected axea by strict veterinary measures but then began to spread to other parts of the country.

21

The disoaso vras q_ui to so1�ious ospocially amonG dairy cattle. One of tho characteristics of infection with the Asian virus was the extensive lesions on t11e udder Ythich o.ften loolrnd as if it hall boon c1.ip1Jocl into boiling water. Tl10 virus was also vory pathogenic in sucklint; yics in which there was a mor­tality of 1007;� it was less pathoc;onic in sl1Gop,

Israel had no moans at her command to control this epizootic caused by an exotic typo of virus. First, a slau3htor policy cannot bo applied in Israel and

? as informed by FAO, no vaccine against tho Asian type of virus was available in any countr;y-. Howovor, some e.:::poriJnco lrn.Ll boon gained in Israel of the value of th0 ogg'-mocUfied Asin I t;ypo of foot-arnl-mouth disease virus as an immunising ngent. In June/July 1959 ?

21 cattlo -,7oro vaccina.ted at tho Veterinary I11;.1ti tut0 in Israel vri th tl1is modifiud viru,s of tllJ .\Gian typo. r_[lhese vaccina:tuu. cattlG were kept together with 40 normal cattle and at the end of October 1959 foot-ancl-mouth disease entorod thi:3 grou) of animals. Out of the 21 vaccinated cattle, 18 iJroved to be completoly protected ancl 3 rc2.ctecl in a mild form, while all tl1G 40 non-vacoinateu. cattle contracted serious foot-anc1.-1:10nth disease. It v1as, therefore, decided to carry out a field trial of tho irnmunisine; vnlue of the modified virus. Vaccination was started in tho beginning of November o.ncl was first carriec1 out in already-infected sottlomonts within tho infe•ctedarea. (A settleErnnt comprises 20-200 herds �,7ith an avernge of 15 cattlo.) When in such a settlomcmt ono or more horcls became in:foctecl, tho rest of the herds were vaccinated. As the first oxperimonts showed satisfactory rosults, tho experiments 1,,rere extonclocl and modified virus was also used in non-infected settlements. In all

? some 87,000 cattle were vaccinated with this vaccine.

As from 28 December 1959, another Jdm1 of vaccine was also used in the field� kidney tissuo culture virus vaccine, prepared in tho classicnl v1ay by adsorption of tho virus to ahunj_nium hydroxide anc1 then inactivated v;ri th formalin. With this vaccine some 60

9 000 cattle noro vaccinatocl.

At tho middle of Fobrunry, vaccination of all tho graded herds has been comploted. The ungradecl herds remained unvaccina.t0d anll disease continuocl to spread in them.

The results of tho vaccination with modifiod virus has so far boon tho followingi In vaccinated hards the spread of foot-and-mouth disease stopped in 6-8 clays following vaccination. Youne; vaccinatec1 animals have shoYm no roo.ction at all following vaccination; in adult animals, hovrovor, up to O. 5 porcent reacted in 3 - 7 days -.Yi th some slight lesions in tlle mouth 2.nd on tho udder. At tho prosont stugc, nothing dofinito can bo so.id about the degree of immunity established by moclifiecl virus. Tho vaccinated hards are 10�11� tested· for antibodies perioJioally an� tLu rosults havu so far been satisfactory.

It is also still too early for information on the duration of inmmni ty1

established gy inactivatod vaccine.

Discussion

In the general uisoussion following thoso reports stress was laid on the nood to type as m2.ny samples as possible from outbreaks. Dr. Galloway gavo examples of the finding of more than ono type of virus in outbreaks in

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22

collections of anirnQls when so.mplos wero tostocl at clifforont periods during tho outbreaks. Ho oxp1·essed his interest in and his vrillingnoss to oxamino samples which prosontecl difficul tios in typin.:s in laboratories in Europe ?

and as many snmplos as possible from Turkey. Ho will also continue to typo all samples from Africa and Asia to ,1hatovor extent is necessary ancl strossoll that field samples and not samples alroacly rncn1i1mlo.tod in lalJoratories should bo submitted.

In swnming up tho ropo1·ts a11Ll cliscussions, tho Chairman said that all the methods outlined in the Comr'.lission Is ovornll control plan had been suc.cessfully used: that systematic vaccination had given good rosults; that tho position in Europe today was bott0r than for mcmy years, that invostie;ations into tho sources o.f i; 10 r, infection woro now rocoivine; more -ittontion� that t1:oro �-•.'2,s norv goocl col lci­boration botwoon some neighbouring countries; and referred particularly to that botwocm Yugoslavia ancl its neighbouTing countries; thnt thoro -vms need for continual typing of virus fl.'om outbroaks not only to iclontify tho typo but also to cliagnoso tho clisoaso; anc.l that tho ,groatost clanger to Europe no,J is tho introduction of exotic typos of tho virus.

REPORT OF TIIE STANDING TBCHliJICAL CQI..'IT,,'iTTTEE

A summary of tho report of tho Mooting of tho Stanclinc: Technical Comrnitteo held on 14 March 1960 was submitted and approved. Tho following is the full report of the mooting:-

A Mooting o:f tho Standing Technical Commi ttoo was holc1 in Romo on 14 1,brch 1960. Tho following members wore prosont g-

Profossor I. Altara (Haly) 9 Dr. J.M. van clen Born (NethGrlancls), Dr. I.A. Gallovvay (United Kingu.om'), Dr. E. rilicholson (:Denmark), ii.Tr. J.N. Ritchie (United Kingdom) and Professor 13. Ub0rtini (Italy).Thoro nore o.lso present Dr. A.E. Franga o. Sil vn aml Dr. R. Willems ( Office Intor,1cd;iono.l dos Epizootios) ? Professor A. Komron (Israel), Dr. G.Bohlrini .(Italy), Dr. J.G. van Bakkum (Netherlands),Dr. E.A. Eichhorn and Dr. W. Ross Cockrill (Food an� �griculturo Organization)together with Sir Thomas Dalling and Dr. E. FogoJby (Secrotariat).

Dr. van den Born vms appointed Chairman of the Meeting.

The agenda as circulated was adopted.

The items of the agendn for discussion were:- reports of the meetings of the research members of the Cmamittee; prevention of the introduction of ':""'"';1" ""!+7_r; ty1Jes of +.11e ·vi "Y'n� . ..;,"+'; Ti,,""',.,��-,,:---�.., r.,--,-, ... +;---i . ...,,...,: .-,- .. :��-- 1��--�� :::-,f ���t 4 �0::-''l r-, +""

exotic types of the virus; supplies of vaccine to member countries when necessary; further consideration of the Commission's overall plan for the control of foot­and-mouth di.sease in Europe.

Reports of J\!feetings of the Research Members

Sunm1aries of the :proceedings of the meetings held at the Veterinary Research Insti tute 9 Island of Linclholm 9 Denmark on 7-9 July 9 1959 and at the Isti tuto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Brescia 9 Italy on 10-11 March 1960 were presented by the respective Chairmen of the meetings. These summaries are given in the appendix of this report.

23

In the course of the discussion on these reJ_)orts the following points were macle clearg-

In connection with the tests for potency of the vaccine at the Institutes at Bi'escia and Lindholm, the cattle used at Brescia were about a year old, while those being used at Lindholm vary in age from 2 to 6 years.

The somewhat high incidence of deaths in baby mioe1

used in virus and vaccine tests

? from non-specific causes, is not a general ex1erience and appears to be

confined to the Amstenl.am Institute.

There was agreement by those present from Itnly, Denmark, and Belgium that emphasis should be laia_ on the observation that the vaccinES in use today are not 6-1.ving such satisfactory results as those obtained vvi th vaccines used soon after v2ccination against the diseas0 was introduced in the field. The eviclence con­sisted in the longer time before an animal developed a satisfactory immunity foll ovving the injection of vaccine ancl "Che shorter duration of the immunity. It was pointed out that these observations apply i larg0ly, to coung cattle, vaccinated.for the first time. It was further stated that in Italy a similar observation had been made with imported young cattle; vaccinated in their country of origin. Observations in the lifetherlancls, however

? could not su1)po1't these

finclings in Italy, Denmark and Belgium. In the Netherlands where the cattle are vaccinated annually, an outbreak of foot-and-@outh disease is considered to be an "event" and the extremely few outbreaks now· e::::;1erienced are confined to cattle which have never been vaccinated or which wer0 vaccinated once only at a com­paratively young age. The fact that an occasio�al outbroak occurs indicat□s that tho virus is still prosont in the Ifotl1urlands nm: thu vory 1 ow number of outbreaks �ho�s that annual vncaination, using thu vnccino nm! produced in tho country, givos highl;'.' satisfncto:ry rusul ts.

The meeting clecided that there should be included in the agenda of the next meet·ing of the research members of the Cammi ttee an item on the immunising value of vaccines and that each member should be prepared to speak on the subject, giving details of thei:r methods of pre1Ja1�ing vaccines ancl any evidence and inform­ation which may be of importance in clarifying the l)osi tion.

Prevention of the Introduction of �xotic Types of Virus into Europe

Dr, Galloway gave some information on the most recent findings concerning the distribution of typos of the virus

? exotic to Europe. NonG of the African

or Asian types?

so named because of the g0ographj_cal a:re?,s in which they were first identified have 7

so far, been demonstrated in Euro1)e. Type Asia I was first observed in specj_mens from Pakistan. examined at the Pirbrifrbt Jr,pt, t.n+.0 .u! 1 :;,J4• This hithorto unidentified type was subsequo:,1tly recovered from specimens received from Burma, Vietnam ? Imlin

? Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran,

Israel, Lebanon and Syria. It was pointed out that the demonstration of this type for the first time in a country does not necessarily imply that it had suddenly enter0d the country or area: this also applies to the African types. With an increase in the number of s1-)ocimens examined from a countr;t or area,· there is greater accuracy in determining the presence of a type of the virus. This is clearly seen 1iy the changing description of the epizootiology of foot­and-mouth disease in Africa. African types of tho· virus are now being recognised in areas wherG they had not already been identified. These types have now been identified as far north in Africa as the Belgian Congo, Sudan and Egypt. In Kenya

24

typos O and A have boon shown to be prevalent. lfore recently type C has been identified in ono specimen and type SAT II has also been demonstrated. Tho recognition of those further types has boo� possible only by the increased number of specimens examined at tho Pirbright Institute and their finding in samples from ono area in the country does not necessarily signify that they arc confined to a single area. Infection of wild ruminants in National Parks in East and South Africa have been demonstrated. Virus type C was identified in specimens from Ethiopia, t;ype O from Nyasalancl, typos O and SAT II from Tanganyika, and type A from south-west Africa ancl Angola. The history of the discovery of type SAT III is interesting. Some material from South Africa was sent to tho Pirbright Institute in 19343 ·the type of tho virus was not determined at that time. It was not until 1948-49, after types SAT I and SAT II hr1.d been recognised, that further examination of this material revealed the presence of a further African type to which the name SAT III was subsequently given. Typo SAT III was demonstrated also in Rhoclosia in 1953 and in Bcchuana­land in 1958. This type has boen prevalent in South Africa in 1959 and was found in ruminants in the Kruger National Park. From the examination of some 200 specimens received at the Pirbright Institute in 1959 from South Africa, only virus type SAT III has been recovered, It was pointed out, however, that South Africa imports cattle from south-·west Africa, v7here vil0us type A is pres.ent and, therefore, there is a risk of virus type A appearing in the Union, in addition to the African types.

The need to learn much more about imports into Europe of animals and substances which may carry exotic types of the virus was stressed as well as the· risks of spread in Europe of exotic types handlecl in European labora­tories.

Attention was directad to the report of the joint mooting of representatives of the European Commiss�8n/of the OIE concernine action to be taken in the event· of the appearance of foot-and-mouth disease caused by an exotic type of the virus. Stress was laid on the dcsirab:i.lity of OIE confirming the recognition of the Pirbright Institute as the World Foot-e,nd-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory and the importance of countries in Africa and Asia,espocially, sending specimens from as many outbreaks as possible to tho Pirbright Institute for examination. The types of tho virus causing outbreaks in South Africa and in the countries in East Africa are fairly well known: there is nood to ascertain tho types responsible in the countries in the north and woat of Africa so that fuller information concon1ing Africa, as a v-Ihole can be available. Only European types of the virus have, so far, been identified in specimens from Ghana and Nigeria.

i:t was reported tl-1at, fol] owing now o,rrs.n:30ri.ont:-', l"!l:JT.'C' �::--r-d!-�"1"" '"'"'�" ··-�-­being sent from Turkey to the Pirbright Institute.

·General appreciation of the report of tho Paris meeting was expressed. Dr.'dilloms, Chairman of the OIE Foot-and-'.Mouth Disease Commission, who vms also Chairman of the Paris Meeting and Dr. Altara

1 woro in complete agreement with the

need for a single reference laboratory and each expressed the view that the OIE should show rocogni tion of the Pirbright Insti tuto as the ·world Reference Laboratory. If there wore more than one reference laboratory, many difficulties wouid arise ?

espociall;r concerning the terminology of types and strains of the virus. Both also laid stress on tho need for many specimens from outside Europe to be sent to the Pirbright Institute for examination and they undertook to encourage action in

25

this rospect9

by all �ossible moans.

Mr. Ri. tchie, vrhile commenting on the success and valuo of the Pnris Meeting, stressed tho risks, not mentioned in the report, 3ttached to tho importation of moat and piooducts of animal origin into Eui•opo from areas in which exotic typos of virus existed. In tho oou1°s0 of his rcnarks ho referred to the occurrence of tho outbreak of f'oot-and-r,1outh clisc,::.i.sc ncrn.r the Pirbright In­stitute, causocl by virus t;ype SAT II, which it had to bo presumed, escaped from tho Institute, in spite of the very elaborate �recautions taken at and by tho Insti tuto to prevent such o,n esca1Je. Tho disease was diagnosed on 0110 f1,rm only and all tho animals wore E:laughterocli howovor

1 bocaus<..: of a

possible contact bot-v>,oen the infected and anotltor fc .. rrn, soma of tho animals on tho seconcl fo.rm vrnre C\L:o slaughtoroLl aJ. thoubh tho cliscasG -,-,as not diagnosed in any of them. All the _::·imlings of 2.n onquirJ- into the oscnrio of the virus havo been r1ublishod. I-'i:r. Ri tchio em11h,.rnizecl tho importance of rapiLi. action in dealing 0ith outbreaks, including i��edi�to sluu��tor of aJ.l tho animals on the premises, as stateJ in thu PGri□ ro�ort: in tho SAT II outbreak, the animo,ls ',voru, in fact� slaughtcned iJGfo:.."G tho identity of the causal vi1°us w-as known.

A J.engthy discussion toot place on tho risks of importing animals and l)roJucts of animal origin from countri-::is in Y✓hich o.::;:otic ty:;;ios· oi' the viruswere _present. J.Jo inforuation was forthcoming on n.n;ir tr0�1tment to vrhich infoc4ed meat coulc.l be subjected to rc,ncler it free from vi:rus.

It �as agree� that there is abundant ovidonco that foot-and-mouth disease may be convoyed in frosh, chilled or �ro�on inf0ctod moat. Certain precautions may, however, be t3�en, to minimize tho risk: they include such points as the allocation of special abattoirs for sJ.aughtoring nnimaJ.s for meat export, the selection of areas fiorn uhich the animals aro accepted, tho conditions under ,vhich tho animals aro rnovod fror11 tho areas to tl10 abattoirs .-:i.ncl the quarantining of the ;:mimaJ.s for throe weeks befoi"e slaughtor. Tho oxport of boned meat

9

only, was succ;estod as an additional procaution. Ths experience in BeJ.gium had boen that, follo�ing boning of moat of carcases of cattle used in vaccine -production work, outbreaks among pigs, formerly traced to meat from this sourco, hncl com1)lcteJ.y ccnsed. AJ. thou[;�l it -.-ro,s e1grood thnt tln import:=d;ion of bonod moat only IT011ld roduce tho ri3k of the introduction of i11f0ction; consiclo1'ation lrncl also to be given to tl10 po:r-r:i;::tonco of th<J virw:.:: in tho lyY11ph nodes and the rosichlE',l '.Jloou in infectec1 c.-_',l'0ase moD,t, a,_; hi."'.S boun shovm from investigations ct,rri...:cl out at tho �Ji:::-bi·ight I112titut8. FolJ.o\rin0 the confiTr.-1, ti0�1 of those i'imlings b�, tiic: -.rnrko.rs �,-'c tho Plur1: L�l.::1,,_Li_ In,Jcitute

9

U.S.A., tho unnucl lmport�tion of soma 00,000,LlOO pounds of boned so,ltod moat for marn.1.fo,cturin,::; pLi_r;:'o·sos b_y t�1-:: TTni t,::,J_ ��t�.to[: :frou ,:;om.:: L.:=:.tir: Anorican count:ricf; hc1el 1)ecn. .c:u:,;pcnd.•Jcl. Tho O!:=iini,;;n ,,-:,s o.J.oo •::JYPl'G,:J,3.,c'_ that boned rnoo.t 9

\Illich would have, t-:i 1:.u i::1�)•.)rtu� in i:,or·i:io11s roL1tive:ly s;-;iz..11 i11 "Li�o '.i()Ulcl prob0,bly not fil1l� fctvoul' by const1:,10rs in t�w irn)oTtL1,s· countri0s,

Tho vio;,-i \li..l,S cx"n·c:--;:3'",d th2t the i;npo:i.'k:tion of' Lloat f1,orn African count:rios in--to BUJ:-opo nilJ. tG,1cl to i:1CI',)c\SO in tJ;c1 i'uturc. It is

1 tl1or,,foro, necossal'Y, ::md

of much impo:rta.nco thc1t ccndi tions concci·nini:; such iL,i,orts be woi,lrnd out to assist veterinary authorities in importinc countrios whe:r-oby tho risk of intro� clucing exotic str2.ins of the virus be :r.10ducGd to a miniemm.

26

It uas pointed. out that 2, consid0::cabl0 <1nom1·c of info::cE1ation is still required on thG behaviour of tho virus in d.iffcront broods 311� typos of cattlG e.g. zebu cattle and thoi::c crossos with Europonn cattle. Tho Lh::rn:.-iso 1:1ay, somotimos� bo so mild tb.:i.t infected nni,�Lls n'.lc1.�r j):,,::;s unnoticed -:inLl that the presence of the disoc1sc is roc:o,;nizocl only w�1on tho cattle aru collectocl for some specific purpose o.g. diJping; more vir�lo�t o�tbroa�s may, of course, OCCUl',

It wo.s_ finc.lly n6re0cJ. that, in the r,1oet 1tirnu, ti1 tb .. .'.\o;:;uncc of com1)lcto prohibition of the im1,0Tt of moat ;:.,nd proc't.ucts of ::.nino.1 o:c-it_�in fron countries in -r1hich exotic typos of tho virus ;7oro �>J:·usont ? tl1,) g::coo.tJ(.,t ca:co s!iould be exercised by tho votorinetry Authorities in tho ioportin� countries to prevent thG introuuction of such viruses 2.ncl tho.t tho votorino.:.'y· �,uthori tics shoLLhl bo cmpovrorcd to ta]:0 vvhatovo:c uction was consiclorod nocoasc:\ry to t�1is ..:ncl.

It was also agrood that a joint □ootinG of ropro�ontativ0s of tho Europuan Commission and tho OIE shouh1 be hold nt nn onrly cJ.atc to c1iscu�;s tho \,hole subject of tho j_Jrovontion of introducing ox·otic t;ypos of the virus into mro:=io in moat anJ products of animal origin anJ to preporo roco�Llond□tions for suitabl0 action.

Supplies of Anti1'orn of :;�xotic Typos of tho Virus

Tho cittontion of tbc rnootin_; ,:12,s clr�,.nn to -C!l<J Llisccrnsion on -i;his subject ,::,,t thG Sixth S0ssion of tho Commission and to tho s-'cc'.tot.1ont in tho ro�.1ort of' tho joint m0eting in Po.ris in Januo,r;y 1960

9 that 11tho �-rish wets olso oxprossod that

tho Pirbright Institute would makG o.vailablo specific nntis0ra of exotic types of the virus to &n·o1Joc=m L:JJoratorios so that tho lliafSnosis of such typos could bo maue without clelny11

•

While npi,rocio.tin�; that tlcG PirlJright Institute would giv0 2,ll possible assistance in identifying exotic typos of virus in upocimons sent by �uropoan laboratories, several spoakors omphosizcid the nood for tho 0arliost possiblo c1ie1gnosis of such types c1s c0,usos· of outbro3,ks g ovon tho roloti voly short delay in soncling spocia1ons to tho Pirbri.?;llt Ins ti tuto and 2,•;-,ni ting o. :report mi�·ht result in a sproacl of tho infection.

Somo discu::rnion contoroc1 3,rouncl the uso of c,1nisora produCGL7- in guinea �)igs o,n.J i:1· _c0,ttlo. It 1,7CJ.S roportod thr:. t nntisor, �Jroduc0cl in c.1 ttlo hc,d lJC,on usod in Israel for the p3.st two yoars in sorum-noutraliz,,tion tcr,::ts, Whilo it YmE: ::\sr.:)oc1 th<'tt c2 t"tJ o nntic:or·1 "swulcl ho ch,:;c,,pcr et�1d th:c:.t it \"!a:J vc:1lu2,blo in noutrn1izo.tion t0sts, using tho kidney 0011 cul turo toclmiquo, curno doubt oxistocl on tho o,rlvisabili ty of ur::ing it for con)lonent fi::;;::,tion terJts., 'I'he antisor2. pr0parod at tho Pirbright Instituto TTas proJucod in cuincQ-yigs and. hm� provol1 its v3,luo in both com:,:iloinont-fixr.ition ,1.nC:L s0rur:1-ncmtretli:,,;u.tion tests,_ The rulativo v:_,luos ani..l rapidity of clofini t,.J results in the illonti:ficntion of · tho virus followin'---; tho use of co1n1)lornont-fixc,tio�1 nm� s0rum-noutrs.liz::i.tion tosts \7ore 2,lso r0fo1Tol: to. It 1 ·-r;i.r:i j_)ointcc� out that, :1t tho Pirbright I1rnti tuto 9

it w�s so□atinos founC nccosscry to un�ortako quito a variety of tests, including somotimos cattle oxporimonts 9 before 2 dofinito typo iCorttification could bo mac1o. It w2..s .f·ouncl thoro 9 howovor, thnt thoro wets n hibh incic.1onco in tho number of identifications th.::.t coulcl bo rnndo ,;ri th tho cornplo1:1ont-fixation technique onL1 that it was usuo.l to provido results on tho doy tho o�amination was mado.

27

In tho absonco of supplios of antisera bcinc G�do av3il□blo 9 Professor Ubortini suggostod tho. t consiclo;:·,,d,ion ,i1i ,::;:· t bo �.::.i..vcn to tho u.istT:L but ion of' killocl o.x.otio t;-)'lJOS of tho viTus ;-i,ncl tlu,t l •.1Jor£ctoTics 1,oulJ. tl10):1· proLluco antiser2 for thoir roquiromonts. This su�cos�ion clicl not find favour in tho mooting.

Dr. Gc.llo-,rny unclortook to s,,_1,:pl;y sLP.11 qu •11'Gl ·cios oi tho ;:,,ntioora pro,luce;d. in r.::uinoa-pigs for t 1�c respective o:�otic ty::_)c�; to Juro1,ocm le.uor,·i;orioa, for uhich it was understood tl:t.:t t 2, ch,.,rt,L- would l.Jo mode b�, t�rn -oi:clJri,:,-1:. t In.sti tuto. Tho 0ocrotnrint of tho ComE1issio11 1.HtS .,_,E:Lc,d to c_:ivo consicl,,r.:·0ion to tholcibon,torios to uhich c:mtisor;:i shonlu bo r-,ont cm,.1 t:w arnountr:: ,rhi::;h '.rnulLl be required.

It �Cls clearly unJurstood that tboso 2ntisorn uould nut bo used in tha routina identification toots for virus ccusinG nutbroaks: its uso voulJ bo confined to tusts c1ppli.ed to sampl0c ':nm7n to contc:.in vil'l,_S -,v·:1ich, l1owever, could not be idontifiad ns onu of t�o throe cl�ssicDl typus. It TTas also agreed thCJt a snmplo oI a virus tho idcntifio:.::tion of -,;1hich 1Jrovod difficlul t or concarninc; Yihich tho tosts inc1ic.:-Ltocl an exotic -sy1Jo �:;houhl l,o .Junt to tho Pirbright Insti tuto for furtl1or o:x:::-L1i1in:1tio0. A con:sic"cor�:blo : ·mount of stress wo,s laicl on tho dau1;or of r::uropocm l::ibor2,torios� oth,JT thu.n tho Pirbright Institute, hanJ_ling Ol' oven rnaintaininr; exotiG ty}JOG of tho virus.

:Dr. Galloway orp:cossor:L his 1·fillingnoss to oolL1,borr:ito ,?-m1 .=;iv0 c,11 }Jossiblo assistance in tho idontifico,iion of oxotic tyDOS of th� virus in tho ovo�t of o.-cy introclucti on to a Ji:uro11oan country,

oi' tl10 Virus

Tho n,ttontion of tho m,;0ting wci�� (lir,::ctocl to tho ropo:d of tho }a:ris mooting in January 1960 an(l tho stntomonts in it ti:d; 11 thcru [.:hould. l:o ;_�vo,ilc.,blo i·osorvo stocks of specific vaccines 2.gninst exotic t;ypos 9 in ordur to moot tho irnmolliE:to needs of an omorgoncy 11 ancl th:i.t the :.Juropot1.n Comnission 110.tl un,1ortcikon i 1 to loo}:: for places whore such vnocinos mi6b.t .-b,l proparod 11

•

It w□s oxplainocl thnt tho Dr. G£\llovrny on tho subjoot. to making available qunntitios

Comrni:. rnion 1 s S0orotC1ri2t .. hnd alr:x,d�v ,-:ri ttl,n to lJT. Gc,.ll(f-d";_\i st�·,-LQ1l tl1nt b.(; _;·_�',L., i;l ·vo··1. !� r)tlO �J1ougl1-t of tho nocor.102-:-::x v:,coinos to m0et ernorgoncy

si tuo.tions in E11ro1)0 9 so t.J1nt 9 ii c.�11 ... :::o-ti1�.- -c�r11c 1.-:-.· 3 �-�-_:"1c·.7n to cat1.s0 tl:e Llisoo.so in n oom1try

9 · n vc1.ccincc tion inogr;:i,m co,11-..l bogin �,c once �'.:L1. 1,,:doJ:o stocks of

vnccino coul<1 bo JJ:co1JnJ:'c.(!_ in the· countr�. }1c e�=: l:;ine:J. t�1r:,t :=:,)L,8 . in:c:ctivntod vaccine against typos Asiu I 2-nd SAT III lrn�l nli·on·�y beer:,_ pro1):,rod :1t th2 Pirln°igh t In;:iti tuto by tho Fr-,:m�:cl tochnic1uo. It ·r1.,J ,10i: pu.:;,;i olo to ktlrn up tho ·work with tl10s0 /lDLL other exotic typos of tl10 virus until June 1960. Afto:r that time, however, further bctchos ol in�ctlvntod v2ccin� �oulJ be pl'op-'lrud against t);.,_\ four oxotic st:cc1inc of tho vi::cus n,ml '.rnul,J bo hoJ.,:L cmd renewed Y✓hOn nuoe::::::;,::::,1'y nt Pirb:right. Thero woulcl thL,.s bo '.W'l.ilable; · smci,ll supplies of the vaccines to moet omcrgonoios in �uropoan cow1trios, if :ro-q_uirod. Dr. Gnl1o,:my also intim:,tod th::it, in tho ovcmt of c'.n outbreak causoLl by an exotic t;y--::io o:C the virus in a Europonn co;__mti';;r, ho rrnulcl bo pro1,arml to send to tho invaded country .-:i se,mplo of tho ::-,p1n'Ol)riuto virus f'rom which fui0ther supplies of tho vaccine coulc1 -b□ yJroclucoc1 in tho ·country.

29

Dr. R. Will0ms, President anc1. :Or, G. A. �foos1Hugger9

Socretary­Gener8.l of the Porrn,'.1i1.c:nt Foot-�.:m1-ifonth clisoo.so Co:.L1isi..::ion of tho OIE o.ncl Dr. J. · ]1T, vnn don Dorn

9 ChGirman 7 . Sir Thoma1:, Dalling, Con-

sv.l tant and ___ Dr. E. Fogecll:ly9

Sucru·i;nry ?f the Euro�1utm Commission, for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, together with J)r. R. Vittoz, Director OIE, met on 21-22 January, 1960 at the bureau of the OIE, Paris to examine the foot-and-mouth disease position in Europe. The following summary of the discussions was agreedz-

The quiescent state of foot-and-mouth disease in most of the countries in Europe during the last several years, which has resulted in the increase in the number of animals highly susceptible to the disease and 7 probably 9

in some measure, in a lessening of vigilance regarding the disease, would create an extremely serious situation, should there appear in Europe, disease caused by new variants of any of the European types or exotic types of the virus, against which no vaccine is available at the present time.

This threat necessitates urgent and close collaboration between inter­national organizations and between their experts 9 in order that the most effective control measures could be brought into operation, It was considered, therefore 9

that there should be immediate joint action by the two Commissions to meet any such situation which might arise and that the follov7ing are the most important measures which should now be carried outg-

1) A first necessity concerns providing complet0 information 9 rapidlytransmi tted 9 on the number of outbreaks al1l1 tho typo3 of the viruswhich have caused them. The opinion was expressed that a centr:allaboratory was indispensable in order that the identity of the types.of the virus causing outbreaks could be confirmed and that referencestrains of these types could be maintained. The wish was expressedthat the OIE would confirm the appointment of the Animal Virus ResearchIns ti tute 9 Pi1°bright

9 as the World l"oot-aml-lfouth Disease Reference

Laboratory already ap1Jointed as such by FAO for such work, The wishwas also expressed that the Pirbright Institute would make availablespecific antisera of exotic types of th·e virus to European laboratoriesso that the diagnosis of such types could be made without delay.

2) The importance of vete1·inary police measures and9 particularly

9

slaughter in the control of outbreaks should again be stressed,In the event of the occurrence of disease i11 Europe 9 caused by anexotic �ype of the virus, it is absolutely essential that governmentsbegin at once to wipe out the outbreaks b;y a slaughter 1Jolicy.

3) It would also be necessary to arrange for extended vaccination againstexotic types of the virus. It we,s considered that there should beavailable reserve stocks of specific vaccines against exotic types,in order to meet the immediate needs of an emergency, The EuropeanCommission expressed its willingness to look for places where suchvaccines might be prepared.

4) The occurrence in continental Europe of disease caused by an exotictype of the virus would make it necessary 7 at once, to convene ameeting of directors of veterinary services and of vaccine-producinginstitutes. The meeting woulc1 be convened by OIE in the name of· thetwo Commissions and �ould be held at the bureau of the OIE 9 Paris,

F - 4015

30

5) It was strow;ly recommencled that no European institute should preparevaccine from exotic types of the virus without the express approvalof this meeting.

6) While it was desirable that laboratory research on attenuated,livingvirus-vaccines should continue

9 it vms expressly recommended that,

for the present, such vaccines should not be used in the field inEurope.

7) There should be further meetings and discussions between the twoCommissions so that the necessary contj_nui t;y of joint action mightbe assured.

The Session accepted and agreed with both reports.

The Presiclent of OIE welcomed this further collaboration between the twoorganizations. He stressed that the Commission was regional in its work while OIE had a world-wide interest in all epizootic diseases including foot­and-mouth disease. He also felt that the PirbriGht Institute should continue to develop its activities and that everything possible should be clone to encourage countries to send samples to the Institute for identifying types of virus: and that OIE should recognize the Pirbright Institute as the World Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory.

Since there were queries about the status of the four exotic types, Dr. Galloway prepared the following note on these exotic types of virus of foot-and-mouth disease and new variants of the :Guropean types�-

The Research Institute at Pirbright established the identity of the types SAT 1 9 SAT II, SAT III and Asia I not only by differential serological (complement fixation and serum neutralisation) tests but also by cross-immunity tests in guinea-pigs and in cattle. They are definitely immunological distinct types of the virus. Cattle recovered from infection with a strain of virus of any of the seven known types r0main fully susceptible to infection with a strain of virus of any of the other six types.

On the other hand, strains of virus referrecl to as sub-types (11variants 11 ) can be differentiated by serological tests but not by cross immunity tests in cattle or guinea-pigs. As the more appropriate t0rm 9 sub-type 9 signifies, such strains of virus are classifiable in one 01

° at.her of the seven immunological types. It is clear 7 however, since in appropriate quantitative cross vaccination tests in cattle, sub-types can be differentiated, as they can serologically, that their .existence has to be taken into account in preparing highly effective vaccines.

STATEMENT ON THE ])ISCUSSION OF FOOT-AND-EfOUTH DISEASE AT THE TENTH SESSION OJ:l7 THE FAO CONFERENCE

Resolution N.o. 21 /59. on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control

The following resolution was adopted by the FAO Conference in 1959g-

3'4

POSSIBLE AMEND11ENTS TU THE CONSTITUTION

Amendments to the Constitution which would be necessary to bring the Con­stitution into line �7i th the amendments to the FAO Constitution and Rules adopted at the Tenth Session of the 1<7.AO Conference in November 1957 were considered.

In the course of the discussion, it was pointed out that difficulty had been experienced by some counti0ies in obtainin(:; notifi-cation of the Constitution, The difficulty would again arise if certain of the suggested amendments were eventually acceptecl. The remaining amendments, in general 9

are insubstantial and9

ir only they were accepted, the desired uniformity with the Constitutions of other FAO Commissions would not be achieved.

Several delegations expressed themselves as being adverse to amending a Constitution that was working well unless overvn1elmingly good reasons were brought forward.

In view of these broad considerations each amendment was not discussed in \letiE1il m1cl it 1>'0.1:c: ovuntu::,11�,r Lmanii�•Jt1sl:r ngr0ucJ., -th.;:i:c no amondr11Gnts be made to the Commission's Constitution,

BUDGETS AN"D ACCOUNTS

The Commission adopted the accounts for 1959, the revised budget for1960 and the budget submitted for 1961, all as shovm in .Appendices I and. II of this Report,

FUTlJIG womc OF TILl COI'.J"-'.IISSION

A review of the future work of the Commission as stated in the Report of the Sixth Session was made by the Chairman. Each i tern was cleal t· with in tu:rm and it was showri. that, as far as possible

j progress had been made. It was

pointed out that the su6gestions for future worl:: contained in that report did not necessarily imply that all could be accomplished in a year.

The establishment of an emergency fund from which financial as13_istance could be provided to countries in the development of their control pnograms 9

especially concerning slaughter of animals in outbl'oak:s9

was discussed. It was felt that this subject might be discussed by the Executive Committee� in the meantime, however, every effort should be made to increase the member­ship of the Commission,

It was suggested aml the Session agiseed that9

in addition to the future activities outlined in the report of the Executive Conunittee9 the Secretariat should make a general review of the foot-and-mouth clisease position in Europ\'3. This should also deal with the types of vaccino in use in different countries and any aspects of tho disease and its control thought to be important. It would be useful to discover ancl report which countries ·have a vaccine pro­duction potential which would allow them to provide vaccine to other-countries.

in need of them. The ::!:'eview should include information on the extent to which countries are applying the Commission I s overall l)lan of control and the results. From this it may be posni ble to rna�rn suggestions on how the overall plan may be adopted in other parts of tho vorld or adapted to meat

regional conditions, The meeting was unanimous in• its views that a slaughter­policy should l)e introduced at once in any counti,y in Europe ? vrhero such a policy is not in general operation in the control of foot-and-mouth disease, in the event of an exotic type of the virus beine identified as tho cause of an outbreak. It was pointed out that, in some countries a considerable amount of time may elapse after such an invasion beforo tho necssary authority to slaughtor was obtained from tho Government.

It was agreed that the following resolution bo adopted by the Commission in which among other recommendations Governments are requested to consider legislation to enable their veterinary services to introduce slaughter at once in the evsn:b an exotic ty1xJ of the virus being identified as the cause of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

RESOLUTION

'riill COMMISSION

Realising that a serious disease situation could arise from the intro­duction to a European country of a typo of the virus of foot-and-mouth disease not previously experienced in �urope;

Re:ili.sing that tho danger is greatest in thoso countries where foot-and­rnouth disease is enzootic and/ or where virus froi�1 only a small proportion of outbreaks may be typed;

Appreciating that vaccines are only available in sufficient quantity for field use against virus types 0 9 A and C;

Noting that it has been recommended that vaccines against exotic viruses should not be prepared in countries in Continental Europe because of the danger of oscape of virus to the field;

Realising that the inactivated vaccines which, it has been reconunendod9

should be prepared against an emergency cannot be made available for several months; and

Realising that even if an appropriate vaccine were available, disease might spread before vaccination of the animals in tho vicinity of the outbreak could be accomplished;

Resolved to invite the ]irector-Gonoral of FAO and tho Director of OIE to represent to the Europea·n Governments ( 1) tho importance of early recognition of tho appearance of disease caused by an exotic typo of virus and therefore the essential noed for large-scale and systematic typing of virus from outbreaks and (2) the great advantage of providing authority to the Veterinary Services to tako immediate stops to control the disease

(a) by imposing control of movements of animals in an areasurrounding the infected premisesy

(b) by slaughter of the affe,cted animals and their contacts;

- F - }!.CY! 5

- 37 - 1\.PPENDIX I

ElJROPE&i COLiJiaSSIQj} FOR TFlli: COI:TRuL OF FCJOT-A1TD-110UTH DISEA:3b

BUDG}TS _!'OR 1960 Alill 19'1_

(Ho jcG by tho Director-General of Ji'AO)

1961 Administrative Budget

1. In accordance with the Constitution of tho Commission Jnd with itsFina.nci-al ReguJ.c.tion III, I pros ,:mt l1or._,1.1i tlc the 1,roposod Aimus.J. Adi",,inist ra.ti vo Budc;0t for 1961.

2. The budg0t ostiQat0s have boon Qrmm up in tho form established in thoFinancial Regulations.

3, At this st,',c:,C I hav8 no ''sup1�lencntary cl.cta.ils" vritl1 rospvct to Chc--i.pt::n° II but I an, j_H•oscntine; th:J estirnat2s bore in n single total ii1. accorda.1100 vvitl1 Financial Hogulation 3.2. No oxpvndituros have so far b0cn madv undvr this Chapto, and in t:10 a1Jscnc0 of any J_D,,Tionco to guide inc) I r.::coii:t11cnd th2,t an arbitrary sum of its ? 000 bv (Jl'OVidod llcr2 for 1961 ) this iG tho S.:'-DC G.i!10Ui1t 2.S

was allm;Gd in tho Cl.pj;irovcd 1960 bud.:_,;ct.

4, It will bv noted thc1,t the proposccl Annual Administrativo Ludt:;.:.t fur l'.)61 totals :i)48 9 500, i. c. th1... maximum poto11tial contributions from Hciilbcr Gov ,.rnr..,onts that may be rccoiv�,d by tho Colilmiss iono I r"e,lisc i of courr�0, that the Coimr1ission 1 ay not actually r.___,e.:,i vc tho full amount of :;�4J

9 500 ( at the time of preparation

of this budget it is poosi blo to count on oilly !i;27 9 SOU); in thc.t ovont OXj)On-· di tur.Js vrnuld be r0 stcr'icted in ord ..;r to lrnop total c�:pondi tur0s within th�' lirni ts of tho funds actually r-Jcoiv,.;cl.

5. Undor Articlo l· 11 Porso;1al Services" of Chapt_;r I the buclg-:.t ostimat,�s alloy,for one J?-4 Sccroto.ry to the Conm,irrnion, o ne G--4 Stenographer; and the servicesof c, Consulta11t. Tb0:co is no ch3,11G'C: in the Articles 11 Travol 11

, "Evctincs","l'hsccllanoous" OT "Contractual S"rvic_.:,; 11 0,s at,'ainst tho r,.viscd 1960 buclg-ct.

J961 Spacial Buds'.l.._��

6. In tho Special Budg.:,t for tho S ;:iccial Account 9 1961, I rccom;:·,ond t:1<.1t as in1959� an ari1ou�1t of �;3 1

000 be ,rovi,.�cC_ to cov ;,.' any ;1.,;ccso "' r:? trav, .. 1 an.cl i_)Cr cl.icuof rnomb-::rs of U,o ;3to..ncline; Tcctr:.ical C01iin:itt",:,.

7. I:-, r.,ccorc,n,;"CC -,i.th °'."i;.,..,ncj_;:,j_ "f,�.:_,-1.11,,tion 4.5 I ai11 :1.lso :2•�.;,o::-t::.::.1G .::1 tran;_;f<i."of :;�200 :fro!.l Cliapt ;r III to Chapter I of tb:. 196C:1 l)uclc- _;t to cov"::;_' t 1.::, ii1cr,;,,:s-clcost of S2,lc\1'iCf:3 due to t]L :O.' vvi;Jiu:i of th_ Ho;:·v Gvl'L-:I'.::,l ;,:;crvi,-;;:, Sa.Lu,; scr•,lc., Ia;n also roportin0 o, tr,:i.n::;f.JT c,f �;:500 :,"yr,,,i C).ic.pt,:,r Ill to Cl:o,11'c'�I' I tu cov, .. r accounta.blo expenses under ll1hscellanoous 11 •

8. I atte,ch :it 'l1 J,lJL; A the r_.vis,,cJ. A:.-11rn,1.l AJ.i.:.inistrativc Dwli._,--t for 1960 ? in--cor1,or0,tin[;' th.:, tr,�.�i.:;f\.,r I l:\a,_r�·; ::,ff ,ct·-d, to:::,·., "hor \ii th n:y ;wwiocod '..iwlc>tc,st i ;na t ,JS for 1961 , 2, t 'rc.i,lJl c 3 a �)Llftl1�,,:,ry sl1□-•:.-in[; by A:ct .icl c tl1,� ,_1:rovi si onc.lo::;.:pcmdi tuio . in 1959 ? tLc.. 196u r . .,vi c:.:.d budg,,t 2.:,1cl t;lO 1961 j)I'OpO:JGd buclc;ot, o.nda t-Table C a note giving th0 Sp�cial Budc-t for tho S9vcio.l Account for 1961.

B - 1345

- 42 APPENDIX II

EUROPEAN COH:MISSION FOR THE COHTROL OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

ACCOUNTS FOR Tiffi YEAR ENDED 31 D:illC�I'ffiER 1959

GENERAL ACCOUNT

Administration

Personal Services Travel Meetings of the Commission Ifiscellaneous

18, 841 31555 1

9 341 777

Refund to Special Account

Balance at 31 December 1959 transferred to Special Account

S TATEl,/TuMT I

Member Governments' Contributions received in respect of 1959 (Schedule I} 25 ? 892

Contributions in arrears 2 9 898 received during 1959

(Schedule II)

1 9 692

3,212

$29,104

SPECIAL ACCOUNT STATEMENT II

Travel and per diem cost of Members of Technical Comrni ttee

Balance at 31 December 1959

1 9 599 Balance 1 January 1959

12 9 765 Refund from General Account in accordance vvi th the Convnission 1 s Financial Regulation 5.1 .2

Transferred from General Account 1,692

No significant differences were found between -the I.D. 50 protective dose of vaccines prepared from virus formalised before or after adsorption on aluminium hydroxideg judging by the amount of generalisation in challenged guinea--pigs, hev-,,ever 9

the impression was loft that vaccines prepared from virus formolisecl after adso:eption· appeared to give somewhat better i·esul ts.

Formalin in amounts of O. 5% and O. 7 55i, does not inactivate virus cul ti­vated in kidney tissue cul turosg amoLmts of formalin up to 2.0% do not interfore vri th the proteutive value of tho vaccine, whether the formalin is added before or after adsorption on aluminium hydroxid� It was pointed out that the vaccines \ffire used three weeks after preparation and storage at +5°C and that different results may be found with vaccine stored for � .... :1g .. Jr _pC;j_�v2.u �'JJ...1.-.,..1. \,,,J�Vvu,_, :.,,_,..:..J .. Jt-<J.=.. .. L.i..J. Hl�b.J..1.v ..LJ.l.-.LvJ.l;;J.1V\::l lillt;; i::t.fl\J..Lgenicityo

Virus can be concentrated to one-tenth of its volume by vacuum at low temperature vithout interference �ith its infective or complement-- devia­ting abilitie-sg the PH has to be carefully ad.justed and maintained duringconcentration. -There was no significant difference in the protective value of vaccines prepared from such concentrated virus ,,hethe_r the virus was formalised before or after concentration. Sto1·age of concentrated virus at +2 ° c for about 5½ months (longest time tested) did not interfere with its immunizing value.

The Meeting took note of these results and concluded that there is now good evidence that· virus inactivated before adsorption may constitute a satisfactory vaccine. It was also noted that formalised viru_s9 Y,hich had been concentrated to one-tenth of its volume and stored under suitable conditions and then adsorbed, produces good immu.ni ty in guinoa-J)i•gs 9 in a dose of one-tenth of the unconcentrated virus. The Meeting noted that all the work on the :i_mmunizing value of the vaccines had been carried out in guinea-pigs ancl expressed the view that it should now be extended to cattle,

Special eriuiJ2._l'!!S.n.:.� for the production of nm-,rer types of vaccine

The Meeting came to the conclusion that it was not yet possible to predict if and when the types of vaccine no-, -, in use vrnuld be replaced by those under stud;-,ro The opinion Has expressed that it ,.-ms premature to make any suggestions concerning any change in tho type of eq_uipment now in use,

Value of disinfectants now in use

The Meeting m:pressed the view that the disinfectants nov, commonly used in different countries and which have been in use for many years, have given satisfactory results.

Prevention of the introduction of exotic strains of virus into European countries

The Meeting felt th2,t this subject would be dealt with more· satis­factorily at a meeting of the whole Standing Technical Committee.

�· ..... ,..., n i .J V -o:

Subjects for the agenda for the next OIE meeting

The following subjects were suggestede-

Testing foot-and-mouth disease vaccines for efficiency

Present kno�lodge concerning attenuated virus as immunizing agents

Immunizing value of virus cultivated in kidney tissue cell cultures

Vaccination of pigs

Concentrated vaccines

Disinfection of wagons and lorries

Control of foot-and-mouth disease caused by exotic strains of virus ,·rhich may be introduced into a region

Epizooti..ology of foot-and-mouth disease including virus carriers

Non-specific immunity (para-specific �mmunity) in foot-and-mouth disease

Production of foot-and-mouth disease antiserum.

The final selection , ·rill, of course, be made by OIE.

-C-1338

49 -

APPE�l)IX lV

EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR THE CONTROL OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Tho following is a summary of the di scL1ssion a,1cJ. co;wlusions of n IIeotinc; of tho research r.:"Ju'rnrs of �ho Ei-tanding Toclmicc1l Gornrni ttee hold in 3roscin ?

Italy 011-10 11 {10:±-ch 1960.

The research members. of the Standing Technical Committee met in-Brescia on 10-11 March 1960, In addition to Drs. Ubertini, Galloway and Michelsen, there were present Drs. Willems and Moosbrugger from the OIE Commission on Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Drs. Kimron, Israel9 van Bekkum 9 Holland and Nardelli 9

Brescia� Dr, Fogedby, Secretary of the Committee and Sir Thomas Dalling 9

who was appointed Chairman 9 were also present.

This meeting was arranged in Brescia at the request of the research mem­bers and on the invitation of Dr. Ubertini, in order that he could demonstrate large scale cultivation of foot-and-mouth disease virus on kidney monolayer cells which he described at the meeting of the group in Lindholm in 1959.

A nonsiderable part of the meeting was occupied with demonstrations arranged by Dr. Ubertini and discussions on technical aspects of the subject while the demonstrations were in progress.. Demonstrations -•n the conoen- · tration of the virus w�re also given and here again, discussions t6ok �lace.

Following the demonstrations, discussions took place on a number of subjects concerning foot-and-mouth disease vaccinesg the following are short summaries. A full report will be circulated to the participants in due course.

There is a strong impression that,the vaccines in use in European:countries ltave a lower immunizing value than those available when vaccination against the disease was first introduced. The evidence for this .seems to be a longer period before vaccinated cattle develop a serviceable immunity and a shorter duration of this immunity. No definite reasons have been propounded for this and' •pinions differ on probable causes. The reasons may be associa·tod_ with .the strains of virus used in vaccine production g the same strains have been used for many years in many institutes and are preserved by deep-freezing. Tho effect of vaccination; espocially·,:fun extensi vo scales, may have some in­fluence and ·better res1Jl ts may follow·., the· use $1 cnr·r(Jl'.\t :i:'iu-ltl s·�:f.;r�iru:: oi' tho Vil'ua. Tho tendency has been to reduce tho amount of the antigen and the volume of tho dose but it seems that oven with largo amounts similar reduction in immunizing value has· been observed.

'Research work on'the whole subject is noodod.

Inactivated vaccine prepared from virus cultivated on kidney monolayor -cells has boon tho subject of tests for immunizing value. At Brescia, satisfactory rosul ts -have been obtained in inany guinoa-pig:::oxporiments. Vac•cino prepared in Brescia from strain A virus is being to;ted in cattle at Lindholm. A preliminary test with tho vaccine sent to Lindholm was carried out in six cattle about ono· yoar old at Brescia, When challenged about a month after vaccination, generalisation occurred in tho control and in five of' tho six

-C-1776