Utilizing milk from pooling facilities as a novel approach for foot‐and‐mouth disease surveillance

• DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13487
• Publication Date: 2020-01-21T12:49:14Z
• Authors: Bryony Armson; Antonello Di Nardo; Dickson M. Nyaguthii; Beatriz Sanz‐Bern...; Philip M. Kitala; Eunice Chepkwony; Valerie Mioulet; Donald P. King; Nicholas A. Lyons
• Keywords: Pooling

This study investigated the potential of pooled milk as an alternative sample type for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) surveillance. Real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) results samples collected weekly from five pooling facilities in Nakuru County, Kenya, were compared with half-month reports household-level incidence FMD. These periodic cross-sectional surveys smallholder farmers powered to detect a threshold FMD 2.5% and information on trends production sales. virus (FMDV) RNA was detected 9/219 samples, using type-specific rRT-PCR, serotype SAT 1 identified 3/9 these positive concurrent confirmed outbreaks area. Four FMDV RNA-positive during half-months when at least one farmer reported FMD; that is, clinical above 2.5%. Additionally, some there no by farmers. indicate surveillance system can up 26% contributed facilities, but perhaps even lower levels infection (i.e., below 2.5%), or conventional reporting systems fail. Further studies are required establish more precise correlation estimates incidence, fully evaluate reliability this approach. However, pilot highlights use non-invasive, routinely collected, cost-effective tool, address existing limitations traditional methods.