Dukpa K, Robertson I D, Edwards J R, Ellis T M, Tshering P, Rinzin K, Dahal N
Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, National Centre for Animal Health, Serbithang, Thimphu Bhutan.
N Z Vet J. 2011 Mar;59(2):51-8. doi: 10.1080/00480169.2011.552852.
To identify livestock husbandry practices important for transmission of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the herds and villages of four regions in Bhutan. To consider using this information to enhance the current prevention and control programme, a consideration arising from the failure to control FMD in spite of a control programme in place.
Between March and May 2009, 383 livestock farmers originating from 80 villages in four districts of Bhutan were interviewed, using a structured questionnaire, about the livestock management practices and incidence of FMD in their herds. Multivariable logistic regression was used to quantify the risk factors that predicted the outcome variable 'farmer-diagnosed FMD in Bhutan'.
Sixty-two percent (49/79) of the villages and 87/355 (24%) of herds surveyed had at least one outbreak of FMD within the 5 years preceding the survey. The odds of having FMD in a herd increased substantially (OR=39.2; p<0.0001) when cattle mixed with herds from other nearby villages compared with those where mixing did not occur. Those cattle herds mixing with six or more other herds within the same village were 5.3 times (p<0.0001) more likely to have had FMD than those mixed with fewer than six herds. Farmers who fed kitchen waste to cattle were 14.1 times (p<0.0001), and those who sent their animals for grazing in the forest were 3.1 times (p=0.014), more likely to report FMD in their herds than those who did not. Farmers who kept their cattle always housed in a shed during the day (OR=0.033) or at night (OR=0.29) were less likely to report FMD than those who did not (p<0.04).
Mixing of cattle at grazing areas was identified as a risk factor for FMD. This indicates that spread from infected herds and villages, through close contact, could be an important source of disease for non-infected herds in Bhutan. Therefore, quarantining of early cases in affected herds or villages could reduce the spread of disease within and between villages. This study also highlights the potential role of feeding kitchen waste to cattle as a risk factor for FMD. The findings from this study could be considered for strengthening of the FMD control programme in Bhutan.
确定在不丹四个地区的畜群和村庄中，对于口蹄疫（FMD）传播具有重要意义的畜牧业做法。鉴于尽管实施了防控计划但口蹄疫仍未得到控制，考虑利用这些信息加强当前的预防和控制计划。
2009年3月至5月期间，使用结构化问卷对来自不丹四个地区80个村庄的383名牲畜养殖户进行了访谈，内容涉及他们的牲畜管理做法以及畜群中口蹄疫的发病率。采用多变量逻辑回归来量化预测结果变量“不丹养殖户诊断的口蹄疫”的风险因素。
在调查前的5年内，62%（49/79）的村庄和87/355（24%）的畜群至少发生过一次口蹄疫疫情。与未发生混群的牛群相比，当牛群与附近其他村庄的牛群混群时，口蹄疫发生的几率大幅增加（比值比[OR]=39.2；p<0.0001）。在同一村庄内与六个或更多其他畜群混群的牛群感染口蹄疫的可能性是与少于六个畜群混群的牛群的5.3倍（p<0.0001）。给牛喂厨余的养殖户报告畜群发生口蹄疫的可能性是未喂厨余养殖户的14.1倍（p<0.0001），而将牲畜送去森林放牧的养殖户报告畜群发生口蹄疫的可能性是未放牧养殖户的3.1倍（p=0.014）。白天（OR=0.033）或晚上（OR=0.29）总是将牛圈养在棚内的养殖户报告口蹄疫的可能性低于不这样做的养殖户（p<0.04）。
放牧区域的牛群混群被确定为口蹄疫的一个风险因素。这表明通过密切接触，受感染的畜群和村庄的传播可能是不丹未感染畜群疾病的一个重要来源。因此，对受影响畜群或村庄的早期病例进行隔离可以减少疾病在村庄内部和村庄之间的传播。本研究还强调了给牛喂厨余作为口蹄疫风险因素的潜在作用。本研究的结果可用于加强不丹的口蹄疫防控计划。
