Implementing large Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination programmes for smallholder farmers: lessons from Lao PDR

Abstract

This study assessed smallholder finances and their attitudes towards the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination programme, when 1 620 000 vaccine doses were provided for strategic administration in large ruminants in FMD 'high-risk' areas in Laos between 2012 and 2016. Farmers (n = 168) in the provinces of Xayyabouli (XYL), Xiengkhoung (XK) and Huaphan (HP), were interviewed. Over 91% of the farmers responded that their livestock were vaccinated for FMD, with over 86% ranking FMD vaccination as a good or very good intervention. No FMD cases were reported from the vaccinated provinces after May 2013. Examination of the total income per household in XYL, XK and HP indicated earnings of US$5060(±650), US$4260(±294) and US$1691(±676), respectively (P = 0.001), with 23%, 28% and 68% of the total incomes from annual sales of large ruminant, respectively. Of the farmers in XYL, XK and HP, 83%, 93% and 70% (P = 0.009) said their annual income increased compared with 2012, and 47%, 64% and 41%, respectively (P = 0.005), indicated this increase was from additional large ruminant sales. The study indicated that this large FMD vaccination programme was well regarded by participating farmers and may have provided satisfactory suppression of the disease in Laos, despite not achieving the preferred vaccination coverage. Continuation of the vaccination programme in FMD high-risk areas is suggested as desirable.

<p>Managing Welfare and Antimicrobial-Resistance Issues in Treating Foot-and-Mouth Disease Lesions: A New Therapeutic Approach</p>

“…The lower rate of households impacted with FMD than expected was considered attributable to FMD vaccination that had been conducted in the village 5 months previously using a commercially available bivalent O and A vaccine (Boehringer Ingelheim, France) that was residual from a previous vaccination campaign, as previously described. 8 Of the village's large-ruminant population, 52 buffalo and nine cows had been vaccinated for FMD (Table 1). Although present in the village, no goats or pigs had been vaccinated for FMD, and none was observed or reported to have been affected by FMD.…”

“…19 Numerous investigations of FMD outbreaks in Laos have demonstrated that clinical FMD has largely been confined to large ruminants. 1,[7][8][9][10][11] Recent serological investigations have confirmed that there has been occasional transmission of FMDVs in goats in Laos, although this has not been recorded in Luang Prabang, where this outbreak occurred. 22 This novel approach to FMD-outbreak management may also provide disease-control benefits from the likelihood of viricidal activity of this product against FMDVs.…”

“…In Laos (Lao People’s Democratic Republic), FMD has been shown to perpetuate the cycle of smallholder poverty through reduced large-ruminant production, interference with market access for the trading of livestock and their products, and importantly, imposing farming-household financial losses from the costs of treatment. 7 Despite significant national and multilateral efforts to control FMD over the past two decades, including active participation in the Office International des Epizooties (OIE [World Organisation for Animal Health])–led South East Asia China Foot-and-Mouth Disease (SEACFMD) campaign and successful delivery of a large-scale vaccination program in northern Laos that effectively suppressed recognition of FMD outbreaks, 8 endemic FMD viruses (FMDVs) have continued to circulate in Laos. Threats of current and emerging FMDVs have increased as transboundary animal movements in the region have intensified from increasing regional demand for meat.…”

Serological Evidence of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Infection in Goats in Lao PDR

“…In partnership with SEACFMD, the Australian government funded the Stop Transboundary Animal Diseases and Zoonoses (STANDZ; 2011–2016) initiative providing important technical and financial contributions toward control of FMD in South East Asia ( 6 ). Routine FMD vaccination was a key component of the STANDZ initiative and involved the administration of 1.6 million doses of bivalent (serotype O and A) or monovalent (O) FMD vaccines to large ruminants in northern Laos between 2012 and 2016 ( 7 ). Due to the vaccine sourcing strategy conducted by the OIE vaccine banks, the vaccines are guaranteed to be high quality but may be produced by numerous different reputable manufacturers ( 8 ).…”

“…With market demands in China and Vietnam, there is increased migration of goats, along with large ruminants, through Laos in to these markets ( 10 ). Goats are rarely vaccinated for FMD in South East Asia, cattle, and buffalo are often vaccinated when donor supported official FMD vaccination programs occur in Laos ( 7 ). However, goats are occasionally vaccinated but only during an outbreak response.…”