Epidemiology Planning Unit
Rift Valley Fever “RVF”
Document Prepared By EPU:
- Dr. Amira Kamal
- Dr. Ibrahim Elbindary
- Dr. Salah Mahrous
- Dr. Hassan Ibrahim
- Dr. Sherine Galal
Revised By:
Dr. Moustafa Osman Ramadan
General Director of Preventive Medicine
Supervisor of Epidemiology Planning Unit
Supervised by:
Prof. Dr. M. S. Soliman
Supervisor of GOVS
Vice President of Cairo University
Rift Valley Fever
History of the disease in Egypt
The first appearance of RVF disease in Egypt on August 1977 in Aswan governorate then spread epidemically to other governorates causing high morbidity in different susceptible animals as cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, camels and high mortality in young animals till 1980. It caused high losses in livestock industry which reached 82 millions L.E. In addition to human cases about 18000 cases with mortality of 598 cases. The disease stopped/perished and only 1 case appeared in 1980 followed by disappearance of the disease for 13 successive years till 1993.
Since that 1977 outbreak the disease was controlled by using local produced inactivated vaccine which covers only 20% of the susceptible animal population but increase to 40% on 2 years before 1993 due to increase in vaccine production.
A highly epidemic spread of the disease occurs in 1993 starting from Aswan governorate. That’s when GOVS started to use Mutigenic Living Rift Valley Fever Vaccine “MLRVF” to vaccinate all susceptible animals except pregnant ewes and goats and newly born animals. The disease stopped in 1994.
Control of the disease in Egypt
Control of blood sucking insects:
Periodical spraying of the animals and their premises by using safe insecticides to eradicate blood sucking insects.
Vaccination:
Periodical vaccination of susceptible animals (cattle, buffaloe, sheep, goat and camel) using local manufactured inactivated vaccine since 1978 for animals over 6M of age and a vaccination campaign for all governorates is held every 6 Months
Vaccination by Living mutigenic vaccine (MLRVF) has been used since 9/4/1994 and it gives immunity for around 3 years.
Serosurveillance:
Periodical Sero-surveillance of susceptible animals in different governorates twice per year to assess the immune status of vaccinated animals after vaccination campaigns held against the disease.
Quarantine measures:
Regular testing of camel and sheep imported from Sudan at the border veterinary quarantine stations in Daraw-Aswan and in the southern triangle area Shalatine, Halayeb and Aboramad.
Mutual Cooperation of different authorities:
GOVS cooperate with National Research Institutes (VSVRI, AHRI) Veterinary Faculties, NAMRU3 and Ministry of Health to control the disease.
Abbreviations:
VSVRI Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute
AHRI Animal Health Research Institute
EPU Epidemiology Planning Unit
GOVS General Organization for Veterinary Services
Table No “1”: Total No of vaccinated animals against RVF
From 1990 to 1998
|
Year |
Cattle |
Buffalo |
Sheep |
Goat |
camel |
Total |
|
1990 |
710963 |
680609 |
432449 |
0 |
0 |
1,824,021 |
|
1991 |
596891 |
634276 |
712334 |
0 |
0 |
1,943,501 |
|
1992 |
874588 |
782362 |
1308882 |
0 |
0 |
2,965,832 |
|
1993 |
1454823 |
1174752 |
1998800 |
54550 |
845 |
4,683,770 |
|
1994 |
2356144 |
2175442 |
3144794 |
369950 |
12178 |
8,058,508 |
|
1995 |
883251 |
692725 |
1135696 |
144414 |
51233 |
2,907,319 |
|
1996 |
1146685 |
901340 |
1307751 |
256125 |
72272 |
11,397,480 |
|
1997 |
2250414 |
1919041 |
2717302 |
409465 |
78432 |
7,374,654 |
|
1998 |
2146401 |
1675742 |
2487830 |
545409 |
219272 |
7,074,654 |
Table No “2”: Total No of collected serum samples for Sero-Surveillance for assessing the Immune status of vaccinated animals against RVF From 1993 to 1998
|
Year |
Total sample |
Protected |
Non protected |
% protection |
|
1993 |
5980 |
3498 |
2482 |
58.5% |
|
1994 |
21421 |
16604 |
4817 |
77.5% |
|
1996 |
2520 |
2407 |
113 |
95.5% |
|
1997 |
5037 |
3455 |
1582 |
68.5% |
|
1998 |
5112 |
4401 |
711 |
86.1% |
