Epidemiological study of foot and mouth disease: serotypes, genotyping and spatiotemporal distribution in cattle export sourcing area of Ethiopia
By Daniel Gizaw
Back ground
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an important transboundary viral disease of cloven hoofed domestic and wild animals. FMD is endemic to Africa, Asia and some areas of South America. The causative agent is an Aphthovirus, in family Picornaviridae, with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome. FMD limits the trade of animals and animal products throughout the world. FMD is endemic in Ethiopia and is one of the first transboundary diseases that limit the international trade of livestock and livestock by product. Although vaccines are available to control the spread of FMD, monitoring of vaccine effectiveness in the field is not routinely undertaken in Ethiopia.
Objectives
- To define the serotype specific prevalence of FMD virus and associated risk factors in export sourcing areas in pastoral setting of Ethiopia,
- To determine the antigenic diversity of FMD virus circulating in outbreak areas,
- To evaluate FMD vaccine effectiveness under field condition
- To analysis of spatial and temporal distribution of FMD outbreaks in export sourcing areas in the last ten years and
- Validation of novel diagnostic tools pen side test. Cross sectional study design in sero-positivity and outbreak investigation, retrospective data collation and longitudinal field vaccine immunogenicity study will be conducted.
Methodology
FMD virus structural proteins are surface-exposed containing determinant that define virus serotypes. Small-scale immunogenicity studies which will provide information which can be used to assess quality, population level immunity, coverage and effectiveness of FMD vaccine. Molecular characterization of field viruses (serotypes, topotypes, and variants) helps to determine the origin of the outbreaks and provide data to monitor dissemination of FMD viruses to other areas. Fast and reliable characterization of circulating viruses critically enables epidemiological analysis and vaccine choice. Generating information on spatiotemporal distribution of circulating FMD viruses via molecular epidemiology and immunogenicity of FMD vaccines for corresponding field viruses provide important information that underpins the control of FMD.