security and competitive advantage
Switzerland defies the threats of animal diseases, monitoring and prevention help. This is shown by a report by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office.
he published in early July BLV report for the 2022 dates, Swiss Animal Health gives good marks. Switzerland is free of 28 animal diseases. An important pillar for animal health surveillance and disease control is the national surveillance programme. As part of this, official veterinarians take samples, which are tested for the pathogens. The results can be used to decide whether measures need to be taken or adjusted.
A competitive advantage
Monitoring takes place both for animal diseases that occur in Switzerland and for those from which Switzerland is free. Because even diseases that never occurred in Switzerland or have been eradicated can be introduced through animal traffic and trade. The FSVO writes that if Switzerland can prove that it is free of epidemics, this represents a competitive advantage for Swiss agricultural products and entitles them to demand equivalent standards in international trade.
National surveillance programs achieve targets
The surveillance program confirmed freedom from infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), Aujeszky’s disease (AK) and ovine and caprine brucellosis.
No cattle tested positive under the bluetongue surveillance program (BTV). In 2017, the spread of BTV-8 was detected in Switzerland, which is why a restriction zone applies throughout Switzerland. However, the cases have clearly decreased in recent years, there have been none in the last two years (there were 81 cases in 2018). According to the FSVO, Switzerland once again fulfills the requirements for obtaining freedom status and has submitted an application to the EU for recognition.
The objectives of the surveillance programs were achieved in the other surveillance programs for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), avian influenza (AI, “bird flu”), Newcastle disease (ND), salmonella infection in poultry and bovine tuberculosis (bTB).
The freedom from animal diseases
The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) documents freedom from animal diseases in the following ways:
-The disease has never occurred before (Historical Freedom)
-Disease was eradicated years ago and/or disease free is declared by a national surveillance program.
Early detection as a pillar of prevention
In addition to the national surveillance programs, there are early detection programs. They are an important element of disease prevention. The disease-specific programs are developed, for example, when there is a risk of importation from abroad. Should the disease actually occur, measures can be taken quickly if it is detected early. In 2022 there were two national programs:
African swine fever (ASF) in wild boarBee pest Small hive beetle (Apinella)
In addition, there is a regional early detection program for tuberculosis in red deer in Eastern Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
240 wild boars were examined for the ASP, which the Federal Office estimates to be a high risk of being introduced. All samples were negative. In eastern Germany, but also in Italy, numerous cases in wild boar are reported regularly. The small hive beetle was also not found, but according to the BLV the threat level remains unchanged. The results of the regional deer surveillance were just as negative.
2023-07-22 18:20:32
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