See also: 25 June 2004

Information received on 6 June 2005 from Dr Botlhe Modisane, Acting Senior Manager of Animal Health, National Department of Agriculture, Pretoria:

End of previous report period: 18 June 2004 (see Disease Information, 17 [26], 167, dated 25 June 2004).

End of this report period: 3 June 2005.

Precise identification of agent: porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

Date of first confirmation of the event: 17 June 2004.

Date of start of the event: 4 June 2004.

Clinical disease: yes.

Nature of diagnosis: clinical, post-mortem and laboratory.

Details of new outbreaks:

Description of affected population in the new outbreaks: mainly small-scale piggeries and a few bigger piggeries (a total of 74 properties) in the Cape Peninsula of the Western Cape Province.

Diagnosis:

Source of outbreaks or origin of infection: unknown or inconclusive.

Control measures undertaken:

- stamping out;

- quarantine;

- movement control inside the country;

- disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s).

Treatment of affected animals: no.

Vaccination prohibited: yes.

Other details/comments:

After the first detection of the disease in South Africa, the infected farms were quarantined and stamping out and disinfecting of premises in the Cape Peninsula were undertaken from 17 August 2004 to 17 September 2004. A cursory countrywide survey did not reveal any positive serology. From December 2004, the disease was detected in new districts of the Cape Peninsula and the same strategy of stamping out and disinfecting premises is being followed.

(1) ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

(2) RT-PCR: reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction