The early warning system of rinderpest disease
The early and accurate warning of a disease outbreak is very essential. Especially in the new areas, this is because it becomes very possible to control and contain the disease. Most of the global disease spread has been attributed to the poor disease surveillance. This becomes very hard to control the disease at its source. Early warning makes it possible to survey and improve the awareness. Common problems manifested in the early warning systems include, the lack of the farmer awareness, disease reporting usually is passive. Coordination of the field and the laboratory veterinary service sometimes becomes hard and also, the Lack of emergency reporting system. Sometimes there’s absence of an epidemiology unit. Sometimes there lack enough preparedness for the epidemic disease, hence the people are caught unaware of the epidemic.
Rinderpest is also referred to as the cattle plague. It is caused by the rinderpest virus. The virus has been affecting cattle, buffalo, and other animals. The disease has been considered to be very communicable and has a high mortality rate. Disease does not transmit to the humans. The disease has immense negative factor on the ecological aspects; it creates a vast independence imbalance. Transmission occurs between animals; it is transmitted through, contaminated water or even the food, when animal equipment has been contaminated. Infected animals can also affect others through, urine, faeces the saliva, the nasal secretion and tears. Sick animals have onsets of diarrhoea and also depression. Sores develop in the mouth this causes the animal to drool. There are also discharges from the nose and also the eyes.
Disease can spread from farm to farm, through the movement of the infected animals. Immediate action should be taken which should involve quick diagnosis and also appropriate preventive measures. Daily extensive movement in the country can cause the disease spread without even detection. Animals that have hooves and are detected to have contaminated the disease should be euthanized and then disposed of. This will help in the control of the disease.
In monitoring the disease preventive measures should be taken. Preventive measures are important, they minimise, the introduction and the spread of the disease. Preventive measures can generally fall into three categories. Restriction of the animal’s movement, this will enable the prevention of the spread of the disease. There should be use of bio-security measures, this should be applied to the animal products, the vehicles the people and also the equipment. The last step should involve the observation and reporting any unusual signs of the animals to the veterinary.
Monitoring should involve a control of the farm; preferably, the farm should have a single gated entrance. The gate should be locked .Animal movements should be monitored, within our area of interest. Visitors should be equipped, to know how they should handle themselves on the farm. Animals should be prevented from mixing with the neighbours. Early warning is a very key concept of disease surveillance at whichever level; hence it should be strengthened for the purpose of strengthening the control of some of the diseases.
References
Drees, Burkhart, 1998, Controlling Rinderpest. Cambridge. Harvard University press.
Smith, Arnold, 2006, Factors Predisposed by diseases. Makistone. Harper.
Padda, James, 2003, Eradicating Rinderpest. Coventry. Coventry University Press.
Abrahams, Burton, 2000, Measures to take in the Control of Pests and Diseases. Chicago.
Chicago university press.
Leaven, Luc and Fabians Valencia, 2008, Worst Scenario Cases. London. Oxford University
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