FMD virus spillover from domestic livestock caused outbreak in captive wild ungulates: First report from Pakistan

Muhammad Ijaz; Muhammad Muddassir Ali; Furqan Awan; Muhammad Ishaq; Arfan Ahmad

doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106439

FMD virus spillover from domestic livestock caused outbreak in captive wild ungulates: First report from Pakistan

Acta Trop. 2022 Jul:231:106439. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106439. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Authors

Muhammad Ijaz¹, Muhammad Muddassir Ali², Furqan Awan³, Muhammad Ishaq¹, Arfan Ahmad⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
² Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. Electronic address: Muddassir.ali@uvas.edu.pk.
³ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
⁴ Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.

PMID: 35378060
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106439

Abstract

The potential spillover of foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus at the wildlife-livestock interface is mainly responsible for the outbreaks in captive wild ungulates. The current study was planned to investigate an FMD outbreak in the wild ungulate species in the Jallo Wildlife Park and breeding facility, Lahore, Pakistan from Mar 2021- Jun 2021. The disease was confirmed based on ELISA through the detection of antibodies against the non-structural protein of FMD virus and typical clinical signs of oral and feet lesions, and even partial or complete hoof shedding in severe cases. To investigate the possible cause of FMD spillover and its pattern, a series of interviews were conducted with wildlife practitioners, animal handlers, and the local veterinarians in villages adjacent to the park. The data revealed neither vaccination nor any FMD outbreak in the last 10 years. The epidemic curve and time-series analysis showed a mixed outbreak characterized by the introduction of disease and then propagative spread from infected to susceptible animals. After the first reports of clinical signs in Blackbuck, Urial and Mouflon sheep were infected while in the end, the cases were reported from the enclosures of Sambar deer and Spotted deer. The morbidity rate among all the wild ungulate species was 92% and the mean mortality rate was 27%. The study concluded that possible sources for primary disease incidence might be animal handlers having FMD infected animals in their houses and transport vehicles coming from adjacent disease-affected villages. For the disease spread between enclosures, another possibility of wind-borne FMD virus spread could also be considered. This is the first report regarding the FMD outbreak and its spillover pattern in captive wild ungulates in Pakistan. These findings will be helpful in understanding the importance of wildlife livestock interface in FMD transmission and to design effective strategies to control the disease.

Keywords: Captive; FMD; Outbreak investigation; Ungulates; Wild life.

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Wild
Deer*
Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus*
Foot-and-Mouth Disease* / epidemiology
Foot-and-Mouth Disease* / prevention & control
Livestock
Pakistan / epidemiology
Sheep