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Report of the International Emergency Fish Disease Investigation Mission on a Suspected Outbreak of Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 13-19 March 2015

Year of publication 2017

Pages 58 p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (stand-alone)

ISBN 978-92-5-109555-3

Series number Non Serial (Investigation DRC)

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) In response to a request for an emergency technical assistance from the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in connection with a serious disease affecting fish in Lokame River in Loko and in Mbanza Oton, 60 km from Gbadolite, FAO formed an International Emergency Disease Investigation Task Force. The overall objective of the Task Force was to (1) confirm that an outbreak was happening; establish a case definition and presumptive diagnosis of the causative agent; (2) collect and process fish samples for relevant laboratory tests; (3) identify risk factors, confirm diagnosis and define further investigation or follow-up work; (4) recommend border/cross border control measures to prevent further spread of the disease; (5) identify specific short-term and medium-term biosecurity action plans that the government may undertake; and (6) provide further recommendations to FAO on how to prevent the further spread of the disease. Some members of the Task Force travelled to DRC from 13 to 19 March 2015, conducted field investigations and laboratory test and has confirmed the presence of the epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) using three recommended confirmatory tests such as: (i) demonstration of mycotic granulomas and fungal structures in stained histological sections, (ii) isolation of Aphanomyces invadans on culture media and (iii) positive identification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of A. invadans genomic DNA. The Task Force concluded that permissive facto rs that favoured the propagation, infectivity and disease occurrence of EUS occur in the rivers and streams investigated in the Equateur Province of DRC. The findings also showed that environmental, climatic, water quality and human demographic conditions in the Congo River basin support the possibility of pandemic spread of the disease. The Task Force suggested several actions which need to be undertaken to curb the spread of the outbreak. These include active surveillance and monitoring of fi sh markets and other food channels used in the movement of live fish, capacity building for involved government personnel to strengthen knowledge and expertise in the identification and control of the disease through biosecurity measures, continued dialogue among DRC, neighbouring countries and FAO about EUS status including subregional disease surveillance, monitoring, and response programmes, and the formulation of a national aquatic biosecurity strategy for DRC.

Language English

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