Government sticks strictly to preventative measures on FMD<\/p>\n
By Mangku Sitepoe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Among countries worldwide, only Canada, the
\nU.S., Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia are free from foot and
\nmouth (FMD) disease.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is trying its hardest to remain free from this
\ncontagious disease. When a place is said to be FMD-free, it means
\nthat it is free from the agent of the disease, or the FMD virus.<\/p>\n
In this context, an act of countering and preventing the
\nincidence of FMD means preventing the entry of the FMD virus into
\nIndonesia. It certainly does not mean preventing entry of dead
\nFMD virus.<\/p>\n
After first becoming an epidemic in England in February, 2001,
\nFMD spread to neighboring countries, including Ireland, France
\nand Holland.<\/p>\n
In terms of pathological epidemiology, the whole of Europe was
\nthen put in the category of countries infected with the FMD virus
\ndue to the virtually borderless nature countries on this
\ncontinent.<\/p>\n
Then, on March 13, 2001, Argentina also reported an FMD case,
\nwhich quickly spread far and wide, resulting in all of Latin
\nAmerica also being listed among the countries infected by the FMD
\nvirus because of the virtually borderless nature of countries in
\nthis part of the American continent.<\/p>\n
Indonesia imports agricultural and livestock products from
\nthese two continents. It also imports these commodities from Asia
\nand Africa, where FMD is endemic.<\/p>\n
As Indonesia is a member of the Office of International
\nEpizooties (OIE), reports on the incidence of FMD have come from
\nthis organization. OIE also stipulates the minimum program that a
\nmember country has to implement in countering and preventing the
\noutbreak of an animal disease and leaves detailed implementation
\nto the member country.<\/p>\n
On the basis of the decision of OIE and as preparation against
\nthe spread of the FMD contagion to Indonesia, the Minister of
\nAgricultural has issued a circular, No TN.510\/94\/A\/IV\/2001 dated
\nApril 20, 2001, on measures to counter and prevent the entry of
\nFMD. The circular also seeks to prevent entry of the FMD
\npathological agent or virus to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The FMD virus that spread as of Feb. 21, 2001, was of the Pan
\nAsian strain usually encountered on continental Asia. It's no
\nsurprise, therefore, that Britain has suspected that the FMD
\nvirus originated from continental Asia.<\/p>\n
Epidemiologically, in relation to the spread of the FMD virus,
\ncountries are distinguished into: those where FMD is epidemic,
\nthose infected by the FMD virus and those which are FMD-free.<\/p>\n
In the case of countries where FMD is epidemic, the circular
\nof the agricultural minister slaps a total ban on the import of
\nthe following commodities:<\/p>\n
* animals, materials originating in animals, the products of
\nanimals and their by-products, including: fresh skins and
\nproducts resulting from its processing, fresh milk and the output
\nof its processing, fresh meat and the output of its processing,
\nand so forth.<\/p>\n
* raw materials for animal feed, including: materials for
\nanimal feed originating in animals, except fish powder; feed made
\nfrom grain plants, for example corn and legumes, as the raw
\nmaterial; fresh or processed green feed; and prepared feed for
\nall kinds of animals.<\/p>\n
* instruments, machinery and medicines which include:
\nagricultural instruments and machinery, such as second-hand
\nmachines used to make cattle feed; medicines, both for human
\nbeings and for animals, made from part of the body of a cloven-
\nhoofed animal.<\/p>\n
In the case of countries infected by the FMD virus, the
\ncircular of the agricultural minister stipulates a temporary ban
\nfollowed by an assortment of other provisions.<\/p>\n
FMD is categorized as a zoonotic disease with a very low
\nmorbidity level. A human being will have very mild symptoms of
\nthe disease, usually oral ulceration akin to a deficiency of
\nVitamin C.<\/p>\n
In animals, the virus will attack only those which are cloven-
\nhoofed. Although the onslaught of FMD on animals will leave a
\nhigh morbidity level and a low mortality rate, it will have
\nenormous economic impacts on a country.<\/p>\n
Once a country becomes FMD-infected it will find it difficult
\nto market its livestock and agricultural products within the
\nframework of the OIE provisions.<\/p>\n
International reactions<\/p>\n
Import of hide -- From a country where FMD is epidemic:
\nimported hide, fresh or tanned, will be in the category of hide
\noriginating from animals afflicted with FMD and allowing the FMD
\nvirus to multiply therein. Therefore, fresh or tanned hide will
\nbe subject to a comprehensive ban.<\/p>\n
From a country infected by FMD, fresh and tanned hide
\nsuspected of originating from animals afflicted by FMD will be
\nsubject to a temporary ban.<\/p>\n
A ban on the import of fresh hide will remain, while tanned
\nhide can be imported if certain requirements are met, including:
\nsubstance with a minimum alkaline content of 2 percent has been
\napplied to it; the import is made at least 28 eight days after
\napplication of the substance.<\/p>\n
Meat import -- From a country where FMD is epidemic: fresh and
\nprocessed meat is in the category of meat originating from
\nanimals afflicted by FMD wherein the FMD virus will multiply. The
\nban on fresh and processed meat is therefore comprehensive in
\nnature.<\/p>\n
From a country infected by FMD: the ban on fresh meat is
\ncomprehensive in nature, while processed meat is only temporarily
\nbanned.<\/p>\n
Processed meat can be imported if the following requirements
\nare met: it is subject to canning at 70 degrees Centigrade for 30
\nminutes; it is dried after salt is applied to it with the ratio
\nbetween water and protein being 2.25 to 1.<\/p>\n
Milk import -- From a country where FMD is epidemic: the ban
\non fresh milk and processed milk will be comprehensive in nature.<\/p>\n
From a country infected by FMD: a temporary ban on fresh and
\nprocessed milk. If the milk is intended for human consumption,
\nthe following requirements must be met: heated at ultra high
\ntemperature, i.e. above 132 degrees Centigrade for 1 second; the
\npH level must be smaller than 7 for 1 second at high temperature
\nshort time (HTST) and the pH must be higher than 7 on two
\noccasions of HTST.<\/p>\n
Animal feed import -- From a country where FMD is epidemic or
\nis FMD-infected: the materials for animal feed originating from
\nanimals are subject to a comprehensive ban (with the exception of
\nanimal feed originating from fishery products).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, animal feed originating in agricultural produce
\nsuch as greeneries and dried rice stalks can be imported under
\nthe following requirements: heated at 80 degrees Centigrade for
\n10 minutes; sprayed with formalin (35 percent to 40 percent) for
\n8 hours with a minimum temperature of 19 degrees Centigrade; and
\nalready harvested three months prior to import.<\/p>\n
As for animal feed originating in agricultural produce such as
\ncorn, soybeans, legumes and so forth, there is no mention about
\nthem in the articles of OIE. Unlike the products of cloven-hoofed
\nanimals such as meat, hide and milk, agricultural produce is not
\nproduced in an environment where the FMD virus will multiply.<\/p>\n
In the case of corn from Argentina, it is suspected that the
\ncorn has been infected by the FMD virus. In fact, as corn is not
\nin a conducive environment for multiplication of the FMD virus,
\nthe virus will be dead by the time it is received.<\/p>\n
Although Argentina is a country where FMD is epidemic, corn
\nfrom that country is in the category of a product from an FMD-
\ninfected country because it is only alleged that the FMD virus is
\npresent in the corn. Therefore, the ban slapped on the corn from
\nArgentina is temporary in nature.<\/p>\n
The import of drugs -- A ban is imposed on the import of drugs
\nfor animals or for human beings if they are made from organs of
\ncloven-hoofed animals and come from countries where FMD is
\nepidemic or which is FMD-infected.<\/p>\n
The import of used machinery -- A ban is imposed on the import
\nof second-hand agricultural machinery from countries where FMD is
\nepidemic.<\/p>\n
Cattle, sperm and embryos -- A ban is imposed on their import
\nfrom countries where FMD is epidemic or which is FMD-infected. It
\nis worthy of mention that the ban on the import of drugs, used
\nagricultural machinery, cattle, sperm and embryos is pursuant to
\nthe provisions of OIE.<\/p>\n
The conclusion is that the circular of the agricultural
\nminister conforms with the regulations stipulated by OIE.<\/p>\n
--The writer is a veterinarian and the author of Mad Cow
\nDisease.<\/p>",
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