Foot-and-mouth disease is a viral animal disease not transmissible to humans. Highly contagious, it affects animals in the family of domestic Artiodactyla (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, etc.) and wild (cervids, antelopes, llamas, etc.). Although known for a long time, this disease remains one of the major concerns of breeders and health authorities. She may have considerable socio-economic repercussions, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Because of the economic losses it causes, foot-and-mouth disease is one of thes major pathologies affecting the production and international trade of foodstuffs of animal origin, food security and economic developmentboth at the level of small farmers and in more organized production chains.
Description of the disease
The causative agent of foot-and-mouth disease is a virus of the family Picornaviridae. There are 7 types of this virus immunologically and genetically, each of which has several subtypes.
It is transmitted directly from animal to animal or through indirect contact (contaminated material, animal products, human interventions from an infected sector to a free sector). He can also be carried by the wind over very long distances from an infected farm.
Infection occurs through the respiratory tracts. The incubation period varies on average from two to seven days.
The disease is characterized byappearance of lesions (vesicles) on the muzzle, tongue, lips, oral cavity, interdigital spaces, above the claws, on the teats and at pressure points on the skin. Very frequently infected animals present with fever (hyperthermia), depression, hypersalivation, loss of appetite and weight, and a drop in milk production.
Epidemiological situation
The disease is persistently and permanently present (endemic) in most of Africa and the Middle East and parts of Asia and South America. Free countries are not not immune to an incursion of the disease from neighboring or even distant infected countries. For example, the reappearance of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe in 2001, which particularly affected the United Kingdom and which will remain among the most devastating examples in history. In the same year, two outbreaks were identified in France, which led to the slaughter of nearly 50,000 animals and significant economic consequences.
Faced with this threat, an international control strategy was initiated in 2009 by thefood and agriculture organization of the united nations (fao) and theWorld Organization for Animal Health (OMSA) within the framework of the Global framework plan for the progressive control of transboundary animal diseases signed by the two partners in 2004. This global strategy for the control of foot-and-mouth disease is considered an international priority.
ANSES’s role
The Maisons-Alfort animal health laboratory carries out an important reference and expertise activity on foot-and-mouth disease.
It also conducts quality research activity carried out in collaboration with other organizations and certified by the Ministry of Research.
It has confined facilities, meeting the biosafety standards of OMSA and the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), dedicated to its activities and equipped with the necessary scientific equipment.
National Reference Laboratory for foot-and-mouth disease and associated vesicular diseases (swine vesicular disease, vesicular stomatitis)
The laboratory has the mandate to National Reference Laboratory for foot-and-mouth disease and associated vesicular diseases (swine vesicular disease, vesicular stomatitis).
- It provides diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease and in particular emergency diagnosis in the event of suspicion, expertise and scientific and epidemiological monitoring. It has a 24-hour alert cell. Capacity analyzes to mobilize resources in the event of a crisis are conducted with different modeling systems.
- It provides scientific and technical support for the control of this disease and conducts research aimed at improving the tools for detecting and characterizing the virus.
- It coordinates a network of five departmental laboratories approved for serological diagnosis. In the event of a major health crisis, serological analyzes of foot-and-mouth disease can be decentralized to these five laboratories.
- Finally, it participates through its expertise in the alert exercises organized each year in the territory.
Research activities are also carried out on the foot-and-mouth disease virus by the NRL (some of which in collaboration with European and international laboratories) with the aim of preventing risks and always better coping with possible health crises by developing new vaccine approaches in partnership.
Reference mandate of the World Organization for Animal Health (OMSA)
Since 2015, the Maisons-Alfort animal health laboratory has held the reference mandate of the World Organization for Animal Health (OMSA).
This mandate leads ANSES in particular to:
- use, promote and disseminate diagnostic methods validated according to OMSA standards to other laboratories on an international scale;
- develop reference material according to OMSA requirements, and implement and promote the application of OMSA standards;
- store and distribute to national laboratories of OMSA member countries biological reference products and any other reagent used for the diagnosis and control of foot-and-mouth disease;
- develop, standardize and validate, according to OMSA standards, new methods for diagnosing and controlling the disease;
- provide diagnostic services and, if necessary, provide scientific and technical advice on control measures to OMSA Member Countries;
- collect, process, analyze, publish and disseminate relevant epidemiological data on foot-and-mouth disease;
- establish and lead a network with the other OMSA reference laboratories designated for foot-and-mouth disease, and organize regular inter-laboratory tests to ensure the comparability of results.
European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for foot-and-mouth disease
The Maisons-Alfort Animal Health Laboratory, in association with the Belgian Veterinary and Agrochemical Study and Research Center (CERVA), has also been designated European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for foot-and-mouth disease on January 1, 2019. This new European mandate will lead to a very strong international presence (Asia, Africa and potentially Latin America).
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reference center for foot-and-mouth disease and vesicular diseases.
Finally, the Maisons-Alfort animal health laboratory has been designated Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reference center for foot-and-mouth disease and vesicular diseases.
Two scientists from the animal health laboratory are members of the research group of theEuFMD and participate in several technical support and training missions for the countries of Africa, Asia and the Maghreb. The laboratory receives French and foreign students and trainees for training in diagnostic methods.
