EuFMD

Due to its potentially serious socio-economic impact, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) remains one of the major threats to animal health and the livestock industry, drawing attention of veterinary authorities worldwide. Austria has not experienced an FMD outbreak over the past few decades however, due to the current trends in globalisation, it must be assumed that there is a constant risk of FMD introduction into FMD-free countries. In the event of an FMD epidemic, Austria would follow the common European policy in eradication effort, where emergency vaccination is increasingly recognized as a useful additional control measure. A simulation study has been carried out to compare the effectiveness and the economic impact of conventional control policy (i.e. stamping out) with various vaccination strategies, aimed to identify the circumstances, in which emergency vaccination would be useful to control an FMD outbreak in Austria.

Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) vaccine efficacy is often evaluated by virus neutralizing titers (VNT) in serum after vaccination, as a proxy to evaluate protection through challenge. However, screening of new vaccines or adjuvants calls for additional tools to predict protection, since there is a grey zone where VNT may not fully correlate to protection. Our aim in this study was to decipher the functions of the humoral immune response as Fc-mediated protection should be also considered in addition to neutralization. The glycosylation profile of specific antibodies highly influences the interaction of the Fc fragment of the immunoglobulins with Fc Receptors at the surface of immune cell. The glycosylation pattern, in addition to immunoglobulins quantifications, were evaluated in pigs by addressing immunogenicity of O1Manisa (O1M) strain formulated in an oil-in-water adjuvant, combined with well-described immunostimulants targeting Pathogen Recognition Receptors (PRR).

Mizoram, a mountainous state nestling in the southern tip of the northeastern region of India, remains in constant threat of TADs, affecting the growth of livestock value chains. In recent years, the State suffered from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) outbreak. Subsequently, the first outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) emerged and is continuing.
The existing initiatives within the State primarily focus on emergency management cycle stages, viz. prepare, prevent, and detect. The expected outcome of the study is policy initiatives to enable the commissioning of a GIS-based decision support system (DSS) to support the implementation of action plans related to the 'response' and 'recover' phases.

The first pillar is founded on seven components. They assist in achieving increased European expertise in FMD crisis management and improved quality of national FMD preparedness training programmes, improved contingency planning, surveillance, especially in the Thrace region of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.

The activities in Pillar I one also provide for Improved emergency management capacity for FMD in the Balkan region, research outputs relevant to resolve policy issues, and provide assistance to emergency response operations. Better channels to communicate risk enables and improves early warning system.

Learn more: https://www.fao.org/eufmd/what-we-do/pillar-1/en/

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As part of the measures in the Phase V workplan of the EuFMD to promote vaccine security, a proposal has been developed to establish a procedure for prequalification (PQv) of vaccines against Foot-and-Mouth and Similar Transboundary diseases. A PQv scheme is intended as the first step in establishing a system for Assured Emergency Supply Options (AESOPs) for FAST diseases. The PQv procedure aims to provide an independent peer review of information on the quality and properties of FMD vaccines. Ludovica Nela is a Communications Specialist at the EuFMD with a Master Degree in Government and Policies and Major in Communication and New Media. She interviewed David Mackay and Martin Ilott to learn more about the PQv procedure and the benefits of introducing this scheme for vaccine security.

David qualified as a veterinary surgeon and worked in general veterinary practice before embarking on a career as a research scientist in exotic viral diseases of livestock, specializing in FMD, and, ultimately as Head of the Pirbright Laboratory of the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) in the United Kingdom. He subsequently moved into the regulatory area, assuming posts as Head of Immunologicals and then Director of Licensing at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in the UK. David then worked at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in London as the Head of Veterinary Medicines and Product Data Management. After retiring from the EMA, David has taken on a number of consultancy roles and works as a vaccine technical security technical specialist with EuFMD .

Martin is a veterinarian who has spent most of his career in the regulation of veterinary medicines with a focus on veterinary vaccines in government, the EU, and the pharmaceutical sector. He completed a PhD at the World Reference Laboratory, Pirbright on FMD. He has had positions with National Regulatory Authorities in the UK (VMD) and Australia (The Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority; APVMA) and with the European Medicines Agency (EMA). He also spent many years with a major veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer as a technical director for FMD vaccines and antigen banks and was head of compliance and biosecurity and the Qualified Person (QP) at one of the world's leading manufacturing sites of FMD vaccine in Pirbright. Martin now works as avaccine technical security technical specialist with EuFMD.

Exploring the frontiers of digital possibilities - innovating for veterinary education and FAST disease control

The Special Committee on Biorisk Management (SCBRM) provides guidance on training including the Minimum Standards. It supports the needs of the FMD Biorisk management community. Therefore providing assistance to training initiatives of the commission It aims to maintain an overview of development in biocontainment and improve the channel of communication with experts in member nations who have FMDV Biorisk management responsibilities.
Learn more: https://www.fao.org/eufmd/who-we-are/structure/biorisk-management-committee/en/

Simulation exercises are an excellent tool to test contingency plans and procedures to improve countries’ preparedness against animal diseases. EuFMD supports the organization of simulation exercises, and has found new solution to recent challenges.

A new concept for delivering simulation exercises was implemented: partially and/or fully online simulation exercises using an online platform for delivering injects, communication between players and remote exercise control, facilitation and evaluation. This allows national authorities to continue to test and improve national crisis management systems and train national professionals to respond to animal health crisis.

So far, the EuFMD has supported the organization of four national and one multi-country simulation exercises, online or partially online, in national languages. The EuFMD also supported the online conduction of a multi-country simulation exercise organized by OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health).

This open-access online course will help you to learn more about simulation exercises, and the crucial role they play to test contingency plans: https://bit.ly/2ZQ5c26

Open Session 2022: What is the impact of digital transformation on the veterinary domain? What cultural shifts and new technologies are changing the way in which we understand and control Foot-and-Mouth and Similar Transboundary animal diseases (FAST diseases)?

Mattia Begovoeva, EuFMD Animal Health Officer, introduces the "Open Session 2022". More information is available on our website https://www.fao.org/eufmd/meetings-and-events/os22/en/

With the support of EuFMD, the European private sector stakeholders in livestock production have launched a public-private partnership (PPP) Initiative for anticipating FAST-Disease Outbreaks, to explore a collaboration with public partners and academia in addressing animal health management in a structured and open discussion.
🎙️ PPP in 2 minutes by Bouda Ahmadi. How much can you learn in 2 minutes?

And our Learning of the month is on PPP, why don't you take an online course to learn more? https://eufmdlearning.works/mod/page/view.php?id=13130