(Date of previous outbreak of swine vesicular disease in Portugal reported to the OIE: September 1995).

Translation of information received on 23 December 2003 from Dr Carlos Agrela Pinheiro, Director General of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Lisbon:

Date of the report: 22 December 2003.

An outbreak of swine vesicular disease (SVD) was reported in Leiria district, Beira Litoral region, in a farm containing 1,754 pigs. The origin of the outbreak is under investigation.

Diagnosis: On 22 December 2003, positive results by RT-PCR were obtained at Pirbright Laboratory, United Kingdom (OIE Reference Laboratory for SVD).

Control measures: Control measures laid down in Directive 92/119/EEC of the Council of the European Communities, "introducing general Community measures for the control of certain animal diseases and specific measures relating to swine vesicular disease", are applied.
- The holding was put under restriction on 17 December 2003. Furthermore, no pigs left this holding during the 30-day period prior detection of clinical signs.
- Stamping out began on 19 December.
- Complete standstill of pigs in all pig holdings located within the established protection and surveillance zones.

- Additional cleaning and disinfection of vehicles transporting pigs in the whole Portugal.
- Any consignment of pigs will be serologically tested for SVD before dispatch from Portugal (there is very limited trade in live pigs from Portugal).