Seroprevalence of brucellosis in goats and sheep in Thailand: Results from the Thai National Brucellosis Surveillance System from 2013 to 2015.

In Thailand, brucellosis re-emerged in humans in 2003 and is considered a public health risk to goat farmers as the disease is endemic in small ruminants. The Thai Department of Livestock Development (DLD) established a nationwide surveillance system for brucellosis in goats and sheep in 1997. Using data from this surveillance system, we describe the seroprevalence of brucellosis from 2013 to 2015 in small ruminants and the spatial distribution of the disease throughout Thailand. Surveillance data collected included the number of animals and herds tested, the province of the animal and herd and the laboratory results. Seroprevalence was estimated at both the animal and herd levels. During the 3-year period, 443,561 goats and sheep were tested for brucellosis by the DLD throughout Thailand using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test for Brucella. Among the 3 years, 2013 had the highest proportion of herds that tested positive for brucellosis at 13.80% (95% CI, 12.52, 15.16). Overall, this study found that brucellosis seroprevalence in small ruminants is decreasing throughout Thailand. However, there is variability in the spread of the disease with provinces in the eastern and western regions of Thailand having higher proportions of animals and herds testing positive. Overall provinces in the south had the lowest proportion of animals and herds testing positive for brucellosis. Periodic review of surveillance data documents the impact of the current brucellosis control programme and supports a targeted response in higher prevalence regions when there are limited financial resources for control measures.

Qualitative risk assessment for the transmission of African swine fever to Thailand from Italy, 2015.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease that infects porcine species and has a major impact on the pig industry. Thailand imported approximately4 million kilograms of pig products from Italy in 2015 during the same time as an ASF outbreak was occurring on the island of Sardinia in Italy, thereby posing a potential risk of introduction of ASF virus (ASFV) into Thailand. To estimate whether or not importing pig products from Italy is a risk for Thailand and to identify gaps in control and prevention measures, risk analysis was performed. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of the introduction of ASFV through imported pig products from Italy into Thailand in 2015, using qualitative risk assessment approaches, with the aim to define specific control and preventive measures. The framework used to analyse risk in this study was composed of hazard identification, qualitative risk assessment and risk mitigation. Qualitative risk assessment revealed that the likelihood of introduction of ASFV into Thailand was negligible, while the level of consequence of virus introduction was high. The overall risk was determined to be negligible. Risk mitigation recommendations were framed to minimise the risk. In addition, this study provided a baseline qualitative risk of ASFV introduction and a systematic approach to a qualitative risk analysis.

La peste porcine africaine (PPA) est une maladie extrêmement contagieuse affectant les suidés et dont l'impact sur la filière porcine est considérable. En2015, la Thaïlande a importé d'Italie environ quatre mille tonnes de produits issus de porcs, alors même qu'un foyer de PPA se déclarait sur l'île de Sardaigne (Italie), entraînant un risque potentiel d'introduction du virus de la peste porcine africaine (VPPA) en Thaïlande. Une analyse des risques a été conduite afin de déterminer si l'importation de produits issus de porcs provenant d'Italie représentait ou non un risque pour la Thaïlande et d'identifier d'éventuelles lacunes dans les mesures de contrôle et de prévention. Les auteurs présentent les résultats d'une étude visant à évaluer le risque que le VPPA ait pu être introduit en Thaïlande en 2015 via l'importation de produits d'origine porcine en provenance d'Italie ; pour ce faire, des méthodes qualitatives d'évaluation du risque ont été appliquées, destinées à définir par la suite des mesures de contrôle et de prévention adaptées. Le cadre d'analyse comportait un volet d'identification des dangers, un volet d'évaluation qualitative du risque et un volet d'atténuation du risque. L'évaluation qualitative du risque a fait apparaître que la probabilité d'introduction du VPPA en Thaïlande était négligeable, tandis que les conséquences d'une telle introduction étaient d'un niveau élevé. Le risque global a été caractérisé comme négligeable. Des recommandations en termes d'atténuation du risque ont été proposées afin de minimiser le risque. En outre, cette étude a fourni une définition qualitative de référence du risque d'introduction du VPPA ainsi qu'une méthode systématique pour effectuer une analyse qualitative du risque.

La peste porcina africana (PPA) es una enfermedad muy contagiosa que infecta a las especies porcinas y tiene repercusiones muy importantes en el sector porcino. En 2015 Tailandia importó cerca de 4 millones de kilogramos de productos porcinos de Italia, a la vez que un brote de PPA asolaba la isla italiana de Cerdeña, cosa que entrañaba el eventual riesgo de introducción del virus de la PPA en Tailandia. Con el fin de determinar si la importación de productos porcinos procedentes de Italia suponía o no un riesgo para Tailandia y detectar eventuales deficiencias en los dispositivos de control y prevención, se llevó a cabo un análisis del riesgo. Los autores describen ese estudio, destinado a estimar el riesgo de introducción del virus de la PPA a través de productos porcinos importados de Italia a Tailandia en 2015. Para ello se emplearon métodos de evaluación cualitativa del riesgo, con el objetivo último de definir medidas específicas de control y prevención. El método de análisis del riesgo utilizado en el estudio constaba de varios procedimientos: determinación de los peligros, evaluación cualitativa del riesgo y mitigación del riesgo. La evaluación cualitativa puso de manifiesto que la probabilidad de introducción del virus de la PPA en Tailandia era ínfima, pero también que tal introducción tendría consecuencias de gran calado. A la postre se concluyó que el riesgo global era insignificante. A fin de reducir al mínimo el riesgo se formularon una serie de recomendaciones encaminadas a mitigarlo. Además, el estudio dejó sentado un nivel de referencia del riesgo cualitativo de introducción del virus de la PPA y sirvió para instaurar un método sistemático de análisis cualitativo del riesgo.

Autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis: a report of a second case in Thailand.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a rare disease in Thailand. Only one previous case has been reported in which transmission was likely autochthonous. We conducted an investigation of a case of VL, which included serological and symptom surveys of people who lived near the case in Nan Province and Bangkok, serological surveys of domestic animals in his home village and sand fly surveys in his home village and in Bangkok. No humans interviewed met our case definition for possible VL. One hundred thirty-one villagers were seronegative for Leishmania antibodies. We found three cows and one cat that had positive direct agglutination tests for Leishmania spp, but we were unable to confirm current infection by PCR. Sand fly surveys showed that most of the flies were of the Sergentomyia genus, which has not previously been reported as a competent vector in Thailand. Nonetheless, we conclude, based on the patient's lack of travel outside Thailand and the presence of seropositive domestic animals in his home village, that he was most likely infected by the bite of a sand fly in Thailand. We believe this is the second case of autochthonously transmitted VL in Thailand.

Geographic and temporal distribution of highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (H5N1) in Thailand, 2004-2005: an overview.

Outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) occurred in various types of domestic poultry in Thailand during 2004-05. H5N1 viruses were also detected in humans and other mammalian species. Infections were mainly detected in backyard chickens and domestic ducks. The geographic distribution of the 2004 outbreaks was widespread throughout Thailand; most outbreaks occurred in the Central Region, the southern part of the Northern Region, and the Eastern Region. In 2005, the H5N1 outbreaks continued and showed a clustered pattern in four provinces in the southern part of the Northern Region and in one province in the Central Region. H5N1 HPAI outbreaks caused serious socioeconomic consequences to the poultry industry, the social community, farmers' livelihood, and human health. After key measures were implemented, the incidence of the outbreaks declined remarkably in 2005.