Swine Vescicular Disease eradication in Calabria region. Results and objectives.
Introduction
The current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic offers the starting point to examine the current relationship between man and nature at a global level, and how this cannot be discussed in isolation from the health aspects related to the emergence of new viruses and pathogens with pandemic capacity (1).
Swine vesicular disease (SVD) is an infectious and contagious disease with viral etiology, supported by a monocatenary RNA virus, belonging to the family Picornaviridae, genus Enterovirus, which affects pigs. In its clinical form is characterized by hyperthermia lameness and vesicular lesions located mainly on the coronal, grunt and more rarely skin cercini; a differentiation from Foot-and-Mouth disease is not possible on the basis of clinical signs and gross lesions it is not clinically differentiable from foot-and-mouth disease. In recent years subclinical infection has been, by far, the most frequently observed condition [4].
Swine vesicular disease is one of the diseases that can be reported even in case of simple suspicion pursuant into Art. 1 of Veterinary Police Regulation – DPR no. 320 of 08/02/1954 and it was first observed in Italy in 1966.
With the implementation of National Surveillance and Eradication Plan drawn up for the first time in 1995, the central and northern regions have achieved the qualification of free territory since 1997 managing to promptly eradicate the disease and regain the qualification of compensation following epidemic events such as that recorded in Lombardy between 2006 and 2007 [1,2]. On the other hand, the achievement of the benefit/indemnity status of central and southern regions has been more gradual, also in relation to the peculiarity of southern swine farming, which is largely characterized by small farms with a limited number of animals, mostly of the family-type (Figs. 1, columns 1 and 2).
In Calabria Region, the community recognition of a territory free from SVD was achieved during 2019 [5] also thanks to the application of extraordinary eradication measures contained in the Decree of the Commissioner ad acta n.139 of 22/12/2015 [3], which provided for:
- a serological control strengthened in fattening farms that moved to other farms, and the obligation of a sanitary vacuum of at least 7 days every 2 months of "all full"
- a serological monitoring of pigs slaughtered for self-consumption
- a serological monitoring of the consignments of pigs entering the slaughterhouses
- confirmation of the minimum biosafety requirements existing in pig farms with possible slaughter of the animals present and downgrading to family farming of structures that do not comply with the corrective measures given by the Veterinary Service of the competent Provincial Health Authority (PHA).
This work describes data concerning the activities/implemented following the approval of the regional extraordinary plan and compared with the epidemiological evolution of the disease in the territory over same period of time.
Materials and Methods
Data reported come from the following Information Systems:
- Analysis Laboratory Management Information System (cd. SIGLA) for data acquisition relating serological screening checks carried out at the laboratories of Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Southern Italy (IZSM) (Fig. 1)
- CERVES Information System for acquisition of laboratory data related to serological confirmation checks
- National Database (NDB) for registry of swine holdings registered in the regional territory (geographical coordinates by map Fig. 2)
- Animal Disease Notification Information System (SIMAN)
- Reporting Information System (SIR).
Last outbreak of SVD in the Calabria Region occurred in 2015, in a fattening /pig farm in Cosenza Province with less than 20 swine in the barn at the time of control, of which 4 were positive and with isolation of the virus from the feces. Following the confirmation of the outbreak, all measures provided by the current National Legislation were implemented (D.P.R. N°362/1996 and D.M. 28/03/2007) including epidemiological investigation and tracing back control in epidemiologically related holdings, which excluded the existence of further secondary outbreaks. Tracing and related serological checks were also carried out for the four positive pig farms found between 2016 and 2017, without evidence of further positive companies/farms.
From the analysis of the data showed in tables 1-2-3 it is clear that starting from 2016, the first year of application of the measures provided for by the extraordinary plan, the collaboration between the veterinary services of the Calabrian ASPs and the territorial sections of the IZSM has allowed to carry out an average of about 21,000 serological checks per year in commercial farms and 5,000 in family farms, the latter controlled through an ad hoc extraordinary control plan.
These checks were accompanied through continuous verification by veterinary services of the minimum biosecurity requirements existing on the holding, with possible slaughter of the animals and the downgrading to family farming/breeding for structures that did not comply with the corrective measures given. Thanks to this activity, from year 2016 to present there has been a clear reduction and then the zeroing of the number of pig farms found positive, as evidence of the effectiveness of the extraordinary eradication measures implemented on the regional territory and the detection and the eradication of the last existing pockets of infection.
Table 1. Data on serological control activities for SVD of swine farms in Calabria Region from 2015 to the first half of 2019
Source: NDB
*The increase related to the acquisition of company code also for companies with only one animal in the stable.
Table 2. Data on serological control activities provided for in the extraordinary monitoring plans for pigs slaughtered for self-consumption
Source: SIGLA – elaboration of Epidemiological Observatory Veterinary Calabria Region
Table 3. Screening tests carried out at IZSM and confirmed tests carried out at the CERVES Reference Centre
Figure 1. Evolution of outbreak and positive holdings for SVD from 2013 to 2019 and percentage of serological coverage of controllable swine farms (elaboration of Epidemiological Observatory Veterinary Calabria Region)
Figure 2. Family farms distribution in Calabria Region from 2017 to 2019 (Source: BDN – (elaboration of Epidemiological Observatory Veterinary Calabria Region)
Results and Conclusions
The analysis of data surveillance collected in the last 5 years shows how the application of the extraordinary measures of eradication of SVD contained within the DCA of the Calabria Region n.139/2015, in particular the sanitary vacuum of at least 7 days every 2 months of "all full" in the fattening farms that moved to other farms, the serological monitoring of pigs slaughtered for self-consumption and the strengthening of the activities for verifying the minimum biosecurity requirements in pig farms, has allowed to achieve a marked improvement in the epidemiological situation since 2016 and to be able to request in 2018 the community recognition of a territory free from SVD, officially acquired on 20 March 2019 with the European Community Implementing Decision n.1910 [5].
This result has already made it possible in 2020 to reduce the number of serological samples on the farm by the territorially competent veterinary services, concentrating resources on other animal health issues related to the pig sector such as Aujeszky's disease, and to pay/focus more attention to prevention activities by monitoring the levels of biosecurity existing in pig farms.
The activity of collecting and managing information related to biosecurity will be made more efficient also thanks to the use of new IT applications made available by Health Ministry such as ClassyFarm, a system aimed at categorizing farms based on risk through the collection and processing of data related not only to biosecurity but also to the consumption of antimicrobial drugs and animal welfare.
The recognition of allowances of the Calabria Region and the entire national territory, can also be framed as a driver of growth for the entire national pig supply chain, and the basis for a definitive overcoming of the restrictive measures applied by numerous third countries (e.g. China, Australia, South Korea, Argentina, United States, etc). In fact, in recent years these countries have restricted the export activity almost exclusively to long-seasoned delicatessen products (even over 400 days) and cooked products, preventing the export of the entire range of medium/ short-aged productions (e.g. salami, cups, bacon), many of these with the DOP/PGI brand, as well as pork and offal. It is estimated that the economic damage related to non-exports can be valued at around 250 million euros per year (source: Industrial Association of Meat and Salami-ASSICA https://www.assica.it).
This new health status will therefore make it possible to undertake new negotiations with the various competent authorities of third countries, renegotiating the health conditions envisaged/expected for exports of pig meat products, and ultimately giving this national production sector a new international competitiveness.
References
- Bellini S., Santucci U., Zanardi G., Brocchi E., Marabelli R., 2007. Swine vesicular disease surveillance and eradication activities in Italy. Rev. Ski. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz. 26(3), 585–593
- Bellini S., Alborali L., Zanardi G., Avisani D., Bonazza V., Brocchi E., 2010. Swine Vesicular Disease in Northern Italy: diffusion through densely populated pig areas. Rev. Ski. Tech. Off. Int. Int. Epiz. 29, 639–648
- Decree of the Commissioner ad acta (DCA) no. 139 of 22 December 2015, published in the BURC (Official Bulletin of Calabria) on 8 January 2016, bearing "Extraordinary plan for the acquisition of the qualification of region accredited by SVD objective SVET"
- EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW). (2012). Scientific Opinion on Swine Vesicular Disease and Vesicular Stomatitis. EFSA Journal, 10(4): 2631. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2631. Available online: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal
- Decision EU: European Union. (2019). Commission Decision 2019/470/EU of 20 March 2019 repealing Decision 2005/779/EC concerning animal health protection measures against swine vesicular disease in Italy. Off. J. Eur. Communities, L80, 49.
Palermo Pierpaolo, Plasmati Francesco, Barca Lorella
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno - Diagnostic Section of Cosenza
