This document was produced by MAFF as a specific response to the FMD outbreak in the UK in 2001 and was made available on their website. Risk Assessments and specific recommendations related to the conditions in the field at the time and should be viewed in this context as they may not be applicable to outbreaks occuring under different circumstances.
Foot and mouth disease
4 May 2001

FMD: Approach to Vaccination of Animals in Zoos

General

A Commission decision of 12 April permitted, but did not require, Member States to use vaccination to protect endangered species (and possibly irreplaceable research animals). It also required zoos and similar enterprises containing endangered species to implement any biosecurity measures necessary to protect the animals; what is involved in implementing such biosecurity measures is set out on the MAFF website.

The Commission decision was not directed at improving the commercial position of zoos by allowing them to stay open despite real risk of infection. The conditions under which vaccination is allowed, and the arrangements for vaccination are very restrictive. There are also international trade implications to be taken into account.

When might a Member State agree that animals in a zoo qualified for vaccination?

1. if the premises are within 25 km of an FMD outbreak
2. if the premises contain endangered species as defined by the Red List laid down by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature now in force
3. if these animals at risk from FMD
4. if the zoo has put in place all other methods for protecting the animals. These include, as necessary: no movements on to the premises of susceptible species, housing of susceptible species indoors, ensuring that purchased food and bedding are not contaminated; closure of buildings which house animals susceptible species to the public; prevention of contact with and feeding of these animals by the public; ensuring that staff do not have contact with susceptible animals outside the zoo and (unless the zoo is in an infected area) do not enter any areas declared to be infected areas under the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order 1983; instituting disinfection controls at the entrance gates and the accesses of each service area; temporary closure of all or part of the zoo.

What conditions apply to the carrying out of vaccination?

1. The owner must produce and submit to the Minister a plan of the premises, with details of the enclosures and pens in relation to the animals to be vaccinated and details of the perimeter boundaries and fencing or other control measures; and a detailed plan showing the location of the zoo and all animal holdings within a 3 kilometres radius. The Member State show any plans it has for allowing vaccination to the Commission and other Member States.
2. Once the Minster's agreement has been notified, all animals of susceptible species must be vaccinated. The entire vaccination procedure must be completed within 48 hours under official veterinary supervision.
3. Identification and marking of vaccinated animals is required and blood tests before vaccination and at least 30 days after must be taken wherever possible and kept for 10 years.
4. The keeper will need to contribute to a detailed report on the carrying out of vaccination, to be presented by the Member State to the Commission.

What are the consequences of vaccination for the zoo?

1. Full records relating to all susceptible animals must be kept and produced on request.
2. For thirty days, the zoo must:
   • keep all susceptible animals in their living quarters, or some other place where they can be isolated
   • avoid moving any susceptible animals on or off the premises and move non-susceptible animals only under licence
   • not move any material liable to transmit FMD on or off the premises except under licence
   • not move any product off the premises except under licence
   • prevent people or vehicles moving on or off the premises except under licence
3. Vaccinated animals can never be exported; they can be moved round the UK only under licence, nor will any products from the vaccinated animals ever be allowed to enter the food chain.
4. It is not clear that vaccination would give protection to all zoo animals. It has not been tested on all the relevant species.

What are the consequences of vaccination for the Member State?

The present position of OIE (the international animal health organisation) is that, if an FMD free country without vaccination, uses vaccine in any animal, including zoo animals, it will automatically lose its status. There would need to be a 12 month waiting period after vaccination had ceased before the UK could revert to its previous status as a "FMD free country where vaccination is not practised". This must be contrasted with the waiting period of 3 months after the last case of FMD infection in outbreak in an FMD free country which has not used vaccination.

A recent OIE Working Group made a recommendation to the General assembly that meets in May, to change the OIE Code to state that if a country uses vaccine in zoo animals it will not lose its trading status. However, it cannot be guaranteed that the recommendation will be put to the vote and, even if it is, that member countries will vote to adopt it.

What would happen if FMD was found in a zoo?

The affected animals would probably need to be slaughtered, but an epidemiological study would be conducted of other animals on the premises to see if there was a case for treating them differently. Whether the zoo had biosecurity measures in place and could isolate groups of animals would be relevant to any decision.

Approach in the light of this

The cases in which zoo animals could be vaccinated are very limited and vaccination brings addition restrictions for thirty days and, in some respects for longer.Vaccination of zoo animals could also have significant implications for the UK's and possibly the EU's international disease and trading status. We are not clear that vaccines currently available are effective in all species in any case.

In these circumstances, the best course is to encourage zoos and similar premises to rely on the biosecurity measures which have already been promulgated. The approach might be further considered if vaccination were adopted for farmed livestock or if there were unexpected developments in the spread of FMD.