Government of India on alert against new SAT-1 strain of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in livestock

The Government of India has increased vigilance regarding the new serotype SAT-1 of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) spreading among livestock. According to a report by ABP News, this new virus has the capacity to infect animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, and pigs. While it is a matter of relief that no cases of SAT-1 have emerged in India so far, the government is concerned and taking precautionary measures as cases have been recorded in several countries, including China and Mongolia.

Considering the risk of this disease, a national-level preparedness exercise was recently organised in Bengaluru. The primary objective of this exercise was the early detection of the disease and to prevent its rapid spread if an infection is detected. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying of the Central Government, in collaboration with ICAR-NIVEDI, conducted a two-day ‘Vajra-SET’ exercise in Bengaluru. A total of 83 representatives from 25 states and 3 union territories participated in this important programme. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on issues such as rapid identification of the disease, laboratory testing, control over animal movement, and immediate steps to be taken upon detection of infection.

From a scientific perspective, there are a total of seven main serotypes of the Foot-and-Mouth virus, including O, A, C, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3, and Asia-1. The most significant characteristic of this virus is that immunity developed against any one serotype does not provide protection against another serotype. This means that even if an animal has been vaccinated against common FMD, there is no guarantee that it is protected against SAT-1. Currently, the FMD vaccine used in India does not provide protection against SAT-1, which means if this new serotype enters India, the risk of infection spreading among livestock could increase significantly. Given this serious situation, scientists and the veterinary department are currently working on preparing a special vaccine and making necessary arrangements for this new serotype.

Regarding the symptoms of SAT-1, animals infected with this virus develop a very high fever. Blisters or sores form around their mouth, tongue, gums, and hooves. Due to these sores, animals face severe difficulty in walking and eating fodder, resulting in a frequent reduction in their intake of food and water. This disease spreads through direct contact with infected animals. Additionally, the virus can travel from one place to another via contaminated fodder, water, utensils, vehicles, and footwear. The spread of this disease leads to a decrease in milk production, causing significant economic losses to livestock farmers. Especially in young animals, if the infection is severe, there is also a risk of death.

The government has also advised livestock farmers to maintain precautions at their own level. If symptoms such as fever, blisters in the mouth, or lameness are observed in any animal, it should be immediately isolated from other animals and the nearest veterinarian should be informed. Preparations by the government and experts to fight this latest challenge have been intensified to protect the interests of livestock and farmers.