USAHA News
United States Animal Health Association
Contact - Larry Mark - (703) 451-3954 - webmaster@usaha.org



For immediate release:

PLAN TO ERADICATE FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE FROM WESTERN HEMISPHERE
OUTLINED

        GREENSBORO, N.C., Oct. 27, 2004 - A report on a plan to eradicate foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD) from the Western Hemisphere by 2010 was presented at the meeting of the
USAHA Committee on Foreign and Emerging Diseases here this week.

     Dr. Alfonso Torres, Associate Dean for Public Policy, Cornell University, presented a
paper entitled "FMD Hemispheric Eradication Program."  The paper was co-authored by Phil
Bradshaw, swine producer from Griggsville, Ill.  

     A project sponsored by the Pan American Health Organzation (PAHO) has been initiated
to work toward the eradication of FMD from the Americas.  The Inter-American Group for the
Eradication of FMD, known by its Spanish acronym GIEFA, which is chaired by Dr. Torres, has
developed an action plan with a target date of 2010 for eradication of FMD from this hemisphere. 

     Dr. Torres said that all areas of the Americas will be examined, with country review
through third-party visits.  He emphasized that in order for the project to succeed, public and
private sector political will is needed, as well as coordination at the national and international
levels.

     Currently North and Central America and certain countries in South America are free of
this serious disease of cattle, swine and other cloven-hoofed animals.

     The committee also received an update on an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian
influenza (HPAI) in Asia.  Nine countries have reported having the H5N1 stain of avian
influenza in poultry.  Viruses from Thailand and Vietnam were pathogenic for mice as well. 
Some viruses also caused disease in ducks, which is unusual for HPAI isolates.  Factors
associated with the size of the outbreak are thought to be related to lack of veterinary
infrastructure and insufficient resources.

                                                           ###