ADDIS ABABA (FAO in Ethiopia) – Evidence-based risk mitigation system is required to address the potential threat of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a respiratory illness caused by MERS-Coronavirus. Similarity of camel-associated and human-associated MERS-CoV sequences had proven that camels are source of infection for humans.
Ethiopia, having one of the largest camel populations and major camel exporter, earns millions of dollars from camel export. In 2010 alone, live camel trade value was close to USD 61 million which is higher than the annual export values of all other animals combined.
Because of proximity to the Near East and North Africa where MERS-CoV occurs in humans and camels, and frequent travels for business and religious activities, it has remained a potential threat to Ethiopia.
In response to this challenge, with a financial support from USAID, FAO and the Government of Ethiopia are implementing a MERS-CoV surveillance project that aimed to create understanding of the viral types and characteristics, space-time, seasonal changes and finger print detection of the virus as well as characterize the frequency and pattern of human-camel contact and determine risk factors in the context of different camel keeping systems.
In view of this, the Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with FAO’s Animal Health Service (AGAH) and USAID, provided a training on “Sampling Techniques from Camel Slaughterhouses for testing Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Camels” for representatives from the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) and National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center (NAHDIC), animal health experts from Amibara district of the Afar Regional State and slaughterhouse line workers from the Addis Ababa Abattoirs Enterprise (AAAE).
The training was aimed to strengthen the technical capacity of the veterinary services on camel sample collection techniques from slaughterhouses applying the new FAO camel sampling guidelines. Recognizing the main sampling errors and biosecurity flaws and inclusion of camel tissue samples from nasal turbinates and lymph nodes, the new guidelines takes into consideration the unique anatomic features of camel nasal cavities.
In his opening remarks, Nega Tewolde, Deputy Team Leader of the ECTAD Program of Ethiopia, said: “The training will enhance appropriate sample collection and laboratory detection of the virus, providing more avenues for the understanding of the nature and dynamics of MERS-CoV in Ethiopia and other targeted countries.”
Training participants asserted that the practical hands-on training has improved their sampling skills and has given them with new insights on the infection dynamics of MERS-CoV and its potential threats to the country.”
Mr Ihab, trainer and FAO ECTAD MERS-CoV specialist at FAO HQ, said: “The FAO has developed this new guideline tailored to the unique camel anatomy which will provide countries, among others, with approaches for developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for field sampling and testing of MERS-CoV as well as for conducting additional research to identify environmental and other ecological risk factors and geographic distribution of the virus.”
The training has provided practical guidelines on good practices to reach the turbinate respiratory epithelium in live and slaughtered camels, and collection of lymph node specimen.
As a follow up, FAO-Ethiopia under the USAID funded EPT 2 program will carry out camel follow-up cohort studies in the Amibara district and repeated cross-sectional surveillance studies in the Akaki camel slaughterhouse. The outputs of the study will inform local risk managers and policy makers to take appropriate actions and will contribute to the global foundational knowledge of MERS-CoV understanding.
Source: FAO in Ethiopia