Dr J.N. Melewas

RINDERPEST IN TANZANIA
clinical suspicion

Emergency report

Text of a fax received on 14 February 1997 from Dr J.N. Melewas, Chief Veterinary Officer, Dar es Salaam:

Nature of diagnosis: disease surveillance and clinical diagnosis.

Date of initial detection of animal health incident: early January 1997.

Estimated date of first infection: October 1996.

Location	Number of outbreaks
north of the road from Taveta to Ngorongoro, in Arusha region and part of Kilimanjaro region (4o S - 35o to 38o E)	not determined

Description of affected population: suspected cases have occurred in pastoral herds which constantly migrate across the international border in search of pasture and water during droughts. Morbidity and mortality rates in cattle have not yet been determined and no indication of the infection in wildlife has been found so far.

Total number of animals in the affected zone: " 1,000,000 head of cattle.

Diagnosis: clinical signs include fever, anorexia, lachrymation, oral lesions, diarrhoea and deaths, but detection of the disease is complicated by the effects of severe drought. Disease surveillance carried out in Northern Tanzania during 1997 has revealed the presence of a syndrome in cattle highly suggestive of rinderpest.

Control measures during reporting period: until laboratory investigations have been completed, action is being taken on the assumption that it is rinderpest. Action taken is aimed at confirming the provisional diagnosis, detecting infected herds, stopping transmission immediately and demonstrating elimination of the disease.

- Infected zone: immediate ring vaccination is being done in the districts of Monduli, Arumeru and Hai, north of the road from Taveta to Ngorongoro.

- Surveillance zone: intensive surveillance consists of those parts of Monduli, Arusha and Hai districts, south of the road from Taveta to Ngorongoro, and the surrounding districts of Ngorongoro, Mbulu, Babati, Karatu, Simanjiro, Same and Mwanga.

Composition of these zones may be alterered depending on the findings of surveillance and diagnosis. A systematic disease search is going on for a more precise definition of the infected area.

Systematic vaccination started in January 1997 and is proceeding in the districts of Rombo, Hai, Monduli, Arumeru adjoining the border with Kenya and will extend to the rest of the border districts from lake Victoria to the Indian Ocean.