DCC Generic Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan
Annexe D
Anthrax
Contents
The contents of Annexe D on Anthrax Disease must be read in conjunction with the Generic Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan for Devon.
Annexe D only contains information that is applicable during an outbreak of Anthrax Disease. All structures, stakeholders, roles and information that are relevant to all notifiable animal diseases are contained within the main contingency plan.
Chapter / Subject / Page1. / Introduction / 3
1.1 / Anthrax Disease / 3
1.2 / Risk of Anthrax Disease in the UK / 3
1.3 / Human Health Concerns / 3
1.4 / Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan for Devon and Annexe D on Anthrax Disease / 3
1.5 / Overview of Devon County Council Role / 3
2. /
Epidemiology
/ 42.1 / Definition / 4
2.2 / After-Effects of Disease / 4
2.3 / Transmission / 5
2.4 / Clinical Signs / 5
2.4.1 / Clinical Signs in Cattle and Sheep / 5
2.4.2 / Clinical Signs in Pigs and Horses / 5
2.4.3 / At Post Mortem / 6
2.5 / Main Aspects of Disease Control / 6
3. / Legislation / 6
4. / Overview of Disease Stages and Controls / 8
5. / Plan Implementation – Devon County Council Functions and Responsibilities / 10
5.1 / Animal Health and Welfare Enforcement Function – Anthrax Disease / 10
5.1.1 / Initiation and Activation – Anthrax Disease / 10
5.1.2 / Management and Control – Anthrax Disease / 11
5.1.3 / Stand Down and Recovery – Anthrax Disease / 11
5.1.4 / Animal Health and Welfare Enforcement – Job Specification
-Anthrax Disease / 11
5.2 / Other Devon County Council Services – Anthrax Disease
Emergency Planning, Communications and Public Relations etc / 13
6. / Useful Information and Advice / 13
6.1 / Advice on Writing Public Information and Advice Leaflets/Letters / 13
6.2 / Frequently Asked Questions / 14
7. / Additional Information Sources / 18
1. Introduction
1.1 Anthrax Disease
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease of almost all warm-blooded animals including humans. In animals, the disease is characterised, in most instances, by sudden death.
Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis that belongs to a group of bacteria that have the capability of forming spores. Spores are microscopic, resistant particles, which enable the micro-organism to survive adverse environmental conditions.
In most countries, it is required by law that outbreaks of anthrax are reported to the appropriate regulatory officials.
1.2 Risk of Anthrax in the UK
The disease occurs world-wide. In some countries, specific areas are known to favour the survival of anthrax bacterium spores in the soil and are thus subject to occasional outbreaks. Alkaline soils are favourable for the survival of the spores. In these areas, the spores of the organism multiply when conditions of the soil such as temperature, moisture and nutrition are favourable. Re-occurrence of the disease is experienced in such locations periodically for many years.
1.3 Human Health Concerns
Anthrax may cause a raised boil-like lesion on the skin which develops a black centre, from which the name anthrax, meaning coal, derives. Wool sorter’s Disease used, historically, to be caused by inhaling spores from handling contaminated wool and is often fatal. Normally, the skin infection responds to early treatment with appropriate antibiotics.
1.4 Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan for Devon and Annexe D on Anthrax
The contents of Annexe D on Anthrax must be read in conjunction with the Generic Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan for Devon.
Annexe D only contains information that is applicable during an outbreak of Anthrax. All structures, stakeholders, roles and information that are relevant to all notifiable animal diseases are contained within the main contingency plan.
Further details are available in the Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan produced by Defra. This is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/control/index.htm
1.5 Overview of Devon County Council Role
Anthrax is a notifiable animal disease.
The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 places a statutory duty upon local authorities to be prepared for a notifiable animal disease outbreak. The Animal Health Act 1981 (as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002) and the European Communities Act 1972 include further specific duties for local authorities in the event of a suspect or confirmed notifiable animal disease.
Further details of the duties placed upon local authorities by the Civil Contingencies Act, the Animal Health Act and European Communities Act are available within the LACORS Generic Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan Template for Devon.
Devon County Council will perform a range of essential duties in the event of an Anthrax outbreak. The role played by Devon County Council will be key to the effective control and eradication of a disease situation, and in ensuring that the needs of the local community are provided for. The Secretary of State has a certain degree of flexibility in terms of the control measures depending on the circumstances of the disease outbreak. Therefore Devon County Council is strongly advised to carefully examine individual Declaratory Orders.
The basic disease control policy is on farm incineration of any suspected or diseased carcase on the infected place and where suitable cleansing and disinfection. Movement restrictions are also put in place to help contain the disease. Biosecurity is of paramount importance in control of Anthrax.
The animal health and welfare enforcement function within Devon County Council will be to dispose of the carcase at the DCC expense. Devon County Council is responsible for enforcing The Anthrax Order 1991, which outlines the procedures, policy and restrictions upon the movement of animals and animal products in the event of an Anthrax situation. The Order also includes requirements relating to disinfection of premises and equipment, maintenance of records and introduces restrictions to be applied to milk and other animal products from infected place.
Devon County Council will also play an essential role in ensuring that their communities are accurately made aware of the current situation and any restrictions upon activities, without causing any concern or panic. This role must be fulfilled through all feasible avenues, but particularly the animal health and welfare, emergency planning and communications functions.
2. Epidemiology
2.1 Definition
Anthrax is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium, Bacillus Anthracis. All animals including human beings are susceptible to Anthrax, however in this country the disease occurs chiefly in cattle, sheep, pigs and occasionally horses.
2.2 After–Effects of the Disease
Under certain adverse circumstances each bacillus anthracis is able to form itself into a spore. Anthrax spores are hard to destroy, they resist drying for at least two years, and they are able to live in the earth for ten years or more whilst retaining the ability to infect animals or people.
Pastures that have been contaminated by the discharges of blood of an infected animal are difficult to render safe for livestock as earthworms may carry the spores from deeper layers of the earth up to the surface. Spores have also been found in bone meal, blood fertilisers, wool, hides and feeding stuffs.
2.3 Transmission
An outbreak of Anthrax is usually confined to a single animal, and this contingency plan has been formulated on that basis.
Although in the United Kingdom the disease does not spread quickly from animal to animal, it should be noted that it may affect a number of pigs at the same time if they have had access to Anthrax infected flesh or organs, or been fed on Anthrax contaminated feeding stuffs.
The discharges, blood, and flesh of an infected animal are dangerous to both animals and human beings. The carcass of an animal suspected of dying of Anthrax should not be cut, except by a veterinary inspector obtaining a sample. In the case of a sudden unexplained death of an animal the person in charge should await a veterinary opinion before disposing of the carcass.
The bacillus itself is a comparatively delicate organism and is easily killed by approved disinfectants.
2.4 Clinical Signs and Post Mortem
The disease appears suddenly; an animal that a short time before appeared to be well is found dead or dying. Frequently blood oozes from the nostrils and anus.
More information on symptoms and pictures of infected cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are available at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/anthrax/index.htm
2.4.1 Clinical Signs in Cattle and Sheep
Among cattle and sheep, the period of illness is often so short that the affected animals may be found dead without signs of illness having been noticed. Nevertheless, anthrax is not always rapidly fatal to cattle and sheep, and an affected animal may be ill for several days before death occurs. Any of the following symptoms may be observed: high temperature, shivering and twitching, harsh dry coat, fits, bright staring eyes, colicky pains, dejection, refusal of food, and marked decrease or complete loss of milk. Occasionally a small trickle of blood from the nostrils is visible and there may also be blood in the dung.
2.4.2 Clinical Signs in Pigs and Horses
In pigs and horses the disease is usually fatal, though less quickly than in cattle. In both of these animals a hot, painful swelling in the regions of the throat may be present, but the absence of such a swelling does not rule out the possibility that death may have been due to anthrax. In horses, symptoms of acute colic are frequently seen. Pigs may simply go off their food for a day or so, but the variation in symptoms they show is very great indeed. Any sudden or unaccountable death in farm stock should always raise suspicion of anthrax.
In horses and pigs the region of the throat is often found to be swollen, but otherwise, as with Cattle and Sheep there are often no other clinical signs.
2.4.3 At Post Mortem
At Post Mortem blood is often found at all natural orifices and the blood is dark coloured, tarry, and does not clot readily. Haemorrhages occur in the muscles, blood stained fluid is found in the body cavities, and most organs are congested and dark in colour. The spleen is usually greatly enlarged, dark coloured and soft. Pigs may show the septicaemia form, but more commonly the throat or abdominal forms are seen. In the throat form, the throat is usually greatly swollen with extensive subcutaneous oedema, which is frequently haemorrhagic, and the associated lymph nodes are also swollen and oedematous. In the abdominal form the abdomen contains excess, sometimes blood stained fluid and there is severe enteritis which is often localised to a section of bowel and may be necrotic.
Other species may show lesions of the septicaemia or throat form of the disease.
2.5 Main Aspects of Disease Control
In Great Britain the accepted disease control strategy involves:
· Disposal of Carcase
· Disinfection
3. Legislation
The overarching requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Animal Health Act 1981 as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002 and the European Communities Act 1972, are detailed in the Notifiable Animal Disease Contingency Plan for Devon. The legislative information provided within this Annexe relates specifically to Anthrax.
Animal Health Act 1981 as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002
The principal Act under which Devon County Council is required to take action in relation to disease of animals.
Anthrax is a notifiable disease within the terms of Section 88 of the Act and as such The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (now DEFRA) have powers within the Act to make orders to control the disease.
The Anthrax Order of 1991
The Anthrax Order of 1991 as amended revoked and replaced the Anthrax Order of 1938, and came into force on 1st January 1992. The 1991 Order includes anthrax as a notifiable disease under the Animal Health Act, and any suspicion of the disease must be notified to the Divisional Veterinary Manager. The Order also provides for a veterinary inquiry as to the existence of disease, and the action to be taken in confirmed cases including the rules to be observed in an infected place.
The main changes in the legislation include:
· Suspicion of the disease must be notified directly to the Divisional Veterinary Manager of DEFRA
· Forms may only be served by a Veterinary Inspector.
· Devon County Council will no longer be involved in cleansing and disinfecting arrangements.
· Movement of unaffected animals permitted under licence issued by a Veterinary Inspector.
Under this legislation Devon County Council has powers to dispose of carcasses by incineration on the infected place or by such other means as the Divisional Veterinary Manager may approve. Owners are not entitled to compensation, but Devon County Council pays for the destruction of the carcasses. The Order also provides powers to require vaccination of animals and for cleansing and disinfection of infected premises.
The Infectious Diseases of Horses Order 1987 / The Swine Fever Order 1963
Under Article 9 of The Infectious Diseases of Horses Order 1987 and Article 15 of The Swine Fever Order 1963 the Divisional Veterinary Manager (Divisional Veterinary Manager) may require Devon County Council to dispose of infected carcasses.
Should these circumstances arise, the disposal method may be by incineration and therefore be the same as those detailed in this plan.
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DCC Contingency Plan Annexe D - Anthrax 06/2010