On behalf of Daniel Beltran Alcrudo,  Animal Health Officer (veterinary epidemiologist) - FAO, Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

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Dear Colleagues,

We would like to update you about the latest FAO initiatives/news relevant to lumpy skin disease (LSD) since the 28 July 2020 update (see below previous updates). Pease let us know if you would like to include any of your colleagues on this emailing list.
You can click in the hyperlinks for further information:
GLOBAL

  *   A 4-week online course on LSD Preparedness in Russian<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1305681/> will start on 20 October. Participants will either be nominated by their vet services or they can self-register through this link<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1m4uyI5ZdVuGMRw8L_3r8FsgX7XpI0nsiqsmazcLAqbA/viewform?edit_requested=true>. Please feel free to distribute it to Russian-speaking colleagues who may be interested.
  *   A 30-min podcast <https://emergence.captivate.fm/episode/the-one-from-the-bridge> is now available about the recently finalized online pilot on LSD Preparedness and other FAO<https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=fao&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6707297763505303552> initiatives on LSD, as well as challenges and lessons learnt in managing the disease.
  *   The FAO guidelines Carcass management for small and medium scale livestock farms is now available in Spanish<http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CA2073ES> (Gestión de cadáveres para pequeñas y medianas explotaciones ganaderas).
ASIA

  *   FAO provided support on vaccination procurement to Lebanon. A SFERA funded project was approved and designated for a cattle vaccination campaign. The vaccination procurement was already done and vaccines are expected to arrive within the next weeks.
  *   FAO provided support on vaccination procurement to Bangladesh. The vaccines procurement is ongoing. The project is being coordinated by the Government.
  *   There are newly available languages for LSD awareness materials in the online repository, namely fully editable leaflets<http://www.fao.org/europe/resources/transboundary-animal-diseases-leaflets/en/> (Arabic, Mongolian and Vietnamese) and posters (Vietnamese), as well as LSD videos<http://www.fao.org/europe/resources/transboundary-animal-diseases-leaflets/tad-videos/en/> (Mongolian).
Best regards,

Daniel Beltran-Alcrudo

Mozsár utca 14; 1066 Budapest; Hungary

email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
phone: +36-18141262
Skype: daniel.beltran2


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9th Update - FAO activities on lumpy skin disease (LSD) - July 28, 2020



 Dear Colleagues,
We would like to update you about the latest FAO initiatives/news since the September 2019 update (see below). You can click in the hyperlinks for further information:
GLOBAL
·         FAO launched on 9 July the pilot for the 4-week online training course on LSD Preparedness<http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1297437/> for a total of 282 participants: Vet services from 44 countries in Europe and Asia, international agencies, vaccine manufacturers, and LSD experts.
·         Additional awareness materials<http://www.fao.org/index.php?id=94206> have been added to the repository, i.e. leaflets for farmers and veterinarians in Arabic.
·         The newly released FAO Food Chain Crisis Early Warning Bulletin No. 36<http://www.fao.org/3/cb0160en/CB0160EN.pdf> covers the threats expected to occur in the world in July-September 2020, including LSD.
EUROPE
·         FAO organized a Risk Communication and Outbreak Management Workshop<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1253900/> focusing on both LSD and African swine fever for the vet services from the Balkans and Eastern Europe in December 2019.
·         The 9th meeting of the standing group of experts on LSD<https://web.oie.int/RR-Europe/eng/Regprog/en_GF_TADS%20-%20Standing%20Group%20LSD.htm#LSD9> (SGE LSD9) took take place in Athens, Greece, on 16 and 17 October 2019. All documents are available, including country presentations and the report<https://web.oie.int/RR-Europe/eng/Regprog/docs/docs/LSD9/SGE_LSD9_%20(Athens_Oct_2019)_report_final.pdf>.
·         The Standing Group of Experts on LSD in South East Europe held a teleconference on 20 February to discuss the countries’ decision to continue or stop LSD vaccination in 2020; the LSD surveillance scheme for 2020; the final vaccination coverage in 2019; vaccine availability; and the supply needs in the countries.
ASIA
·         FAO sent on 21 July an Animal Health Alert encouraging countries to prepare for introduction of LSD in Asia, considering the increased risk of occurrence, either from environmental conditions or animal movement.
·         A Preparedness (remote) mission on LSD took place to Myanmar in May, following a request for support in developing and carrying out a risk assessment and building capacity to prepare for a potential LSD outbreak. Due to the current COVID-19 travel restrictions, it had to be done as a virtual workshop, spread over three weeks.
·         FAO provided technical support on vaccination strategies and alternatives to Syria. A project was approved and designated for a cattle vaccination campaign. The vaccination process is planned to start in early August 2020 in partnership with a local NGO for operational and logistic support. LSD awareness materials were shared and translation of the materials to Arabic was carried out.
·         FAO is assisting Bangladesh in the control of LSD through a technical cooperation project.



8th Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - September 23, 2019

Dear Colleagues,
We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the February 2019 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:

-          LSD has increased dramatically its geographical range, with the first outbreaks ever reported in China<https://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=31501> and Bangladesh<https://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=31742>.
-          FAO conducted contingency planning desktop Simulation exercises in three countries<applewebdata://4B2ACD3D-D3AD-483B-9827-41D119CE5375/-%09http:/www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_060619d.html> (Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine)
-          FAO has produce an awareness video on LSD (and bluetongue) in 6 languages<http://www.fao.org/europe/resources/transboundary-animal-diseases-leaflets/tad-videos/en/> (Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, English, Romanian, Russian and Ukrainian). Check the English one here<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9pVp7-U27s&feature=youtu.be>.
-          FAO has produced additional guidance materials for the management of LSD. On top of an updated contingency plan, additional complementary documents (i.e. appendices)<http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1042420/> have been produced, namely:
o   Guide to Surveillance and Early detection of LSD<http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/reu/europe/documents/AppIII.pdf>
o   Prevention measures against LSD<http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/reu/europe/documents/AppIV.pdf>
-          Additional awareness materials<http://www.fao.org/index.php?id=94206> have been added to the repository, both in terms of formats and languages: Posters on LSD in Russian, Ukrainian and Romanian, plus materials in Bulgarian.
-          News related to the GF-TADs Standing Group of Experts (SGE) on LSD:
o   The report of the teleconference of the 25th of February on LSD vaccination programs<http://web.oie.int/RR-Europe/eng/Regprog/en_GF_TADS%20-%20Standing%20Group%20LSD.htm#LSDTC3> has been finalised and published.
o   The 8th SGE LSD took place in Paris<http://web.oie.int/RR-Europe/eng/Regprog/en_GF_TADS%20-%20Standing%20Group%20LSD.htm#LSD8> in the margins of the 87th general session of the OIE, on 29 May 2019.
o   The 9th SGE LSD will take place in Athens, Greece<http://web.oie.int/RR-Europe/eng/Regprog/en_GF_TADS%20-%20Standing%20Group%20LSD.htm#LSD8>, on 16-17 October 2019
-          The Focus on Carcass management (practical considerations)<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA2073EN> has now been translated into French, Romanian, Russian, Serbian and Ukrainian.
-          EFSA has published its latest report on LSD, titled ‘Lumpy skin disease III. Data collection and analysis<http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5638>’.
-          FAO Food Chain Crisis Early Warning Bulletin, no. 31<http://www.fao.org/3/ca4251en/CA4251EN.pdf>, April-June 2019, addresses 32 plant and forest pests and diseases, locusts and animal and aquatic diseases were monitored and forecasted by FAO experts for the period April to June 2019, including LSD in Europe.


7th Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - February 14, 2019

Dear Colleagues,
We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the November 2018 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:

  *   FAO<https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=%23FAO> and UAB<https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=%23UAB> researchers just published a scientific paper predicting the areas at risk for LSD spread within Eurasia by looking at the association between LSD outbreaks and climatic variables, land cover, and cattle density<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_080219.html> (Allepuz, Casal, Beltran Alcrudo. 2018 Dec 6. TBED. doi: 10.1111/tbed.13090). Results from this study will provide useful information for the design of surveillance and awareness systems, and preventive measures.
  *   FAO has added a set of posters on LSD in English, Romanian, Russian and Ukrainian to the repository of leaflets on transboundary animal diseases<http://www.fao.org/index.php?id=94206>. The posters are fully editable (in PowerPoint format).

  *   FAO has published a 10-page practical considerations on carcass management for small- and medium-scale livestock farms<http://web.oie.int/rr-europe/eng/eng/Regprog/docs/docs/FAO%20Carcass%20Management%20Focus.pdf>. Now also available in Romanian<http://www.fao.org/3/CA2073RO/ca2073ro.pdf>.


6th Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - November 27, 2018

Dear Colleagues,
We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the September 2018 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:
·         FAO has started working on a repository of leaflets on transboundary animal diseases<http://www.fao.org/index.php?id=94206>, including LSD. The leaflets are fully editable and available in different languages to allow a quick implementation of awareness campaigns.
·         FAO has developed a Guide to Develop a Lumpy Skin Disease emergency vaccination plan <http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1042420/> in response to LSD outbreaks. It applies not only to respond to outbreaks within the national territory, but also when outbreaks are detected in neighboring countries. This document is considered as an annex to the contingency plan. It has been already translated into Romanian and Russian (available on request in these additional languages).
·         FAO is implementing a training-of-trainers on LSD in Moldova<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1170942/>, which aims to reach all field veterinarians. The training covers both theoretical and practical aspects. The agenda and materials are all available.


5th Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - September 12, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the July 2018 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:

-          FAO’s field manual on LSD is now also available in Romanian<http://www.fao.org/3/I7330RO/i7330ro.pdf>. 100 copies will be printed and delivered to the veterinary services in Moldova. Through the card page<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I7330RO>, you can also access the other languages (Albanian, English, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, Turkish, and Ukrainian)

-          An updated template to develop LSD contingency<http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1042420/> plan is available online. It has been already translated into Bosnian, Romanian and Russian (available on request in these additional languages).

-          Copies of the FAO’s field manual on LSD in Russian have been shipped to the veterinary services of the following countries (125 copies each): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan Ukraine and Turkmenistan.

You are receiving this email because you have somehow participated in LSD-related activities/meetings in one way or another. If you would like to be unsubscribed, please email me back. Similarly, please let us know if you would like to include any of your colleagues on the list.

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4th Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO -  July 13, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the May 2018 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:

-          FAO recently launched a regional Technical Cooperation Project (TCP)<http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1136696/> on emergency preparedness against lumpy skin disease in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. A brief description of the main components of the project available here.<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_260618.html> An inception workshop was held in Kiev, Ukraine, on 29-30 May. The agenda and all presentations are available here<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1128334/>.


-          As part of the above TCP project, a cascade training for field veterinarians on LSD<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_260618b.html> will be launched in each of the three countries. The first training of trainers for Ukraine already took place on 31 May-1 June. The agenda and presentations in both English and Russian are availablehere<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1139826/>.


-          FAO, together with researchers from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain) and the veterinary services of three Balkan countries have published a study on the Economic cost of lumpy skin disease outbreaks in three Balkan countries: Albania, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (2016-2017)<https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/tbed.12926> (attached)

-          IAEA, in partnership with FAO, launched a regional technical cooperation project (TCP) on vector-borne diseases<https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/detecting-vector-borne-disease-iaea-and-fao-help-enhance-capacity-in-europe>, including LSD, with the idea of enhancing capacities to detect and differentiate vector-borne diseases and to identify host vector carriers. Twenty-one veterinary diagnostics specialists met in Tbilisi, Georgia for the inception workshop.


3rd Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - May 28, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the March 2018 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:

-          FAO just started piloting a new approach, known as livestock protective fences (LPF)<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_110518.html> to protect cattle against insect-transmitted diseases and insect bites in Southern Serbia;
-          FAO will hold in Kiev on 29-30 May the inception workshop<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1128334/> for a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) to Strengthen the regional preparedness, prevention and response against LSD in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine;
-          The lumpy skin disease field manual is now available in Ukrainian<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I7330UK>.
-          The English version of the LSD manual in eBook format can be downloaded from MOBI | EPUB

Within the Joint FAO/IAEA program, the following activities have been conducted:

-          A new project has started on “Enhancing National Capabilities for Early and Rapid Detection of Priority Vector Borne Diseases of Animals (Including Zoonoses) by Means of Molecular Diagnostic Tools” in Europe. Project participants are counterparts from the officially designated veterinary labs. The first regional meeting was held in Tbilisi, Georgia from 16-20 April 2018.

In addition: Are you looking for utilization of specific infrastructures to perform your work on Vector-Borne Diseases? Services, training courses and products on arthropod vectors? Infravec2<https://infravec2.eu/> (Horizon2020) is offering more than 150 products and services at NO-COST.

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2nd Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - March 07, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to update you about the new FAO initiatives/news since the January 2018 update (see below). Please click in the hyperlinks for further information:

-          FAO has started a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) to address preparedness for LSD in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. Activities are expected to start in the coming months;
-          FAO has shipped copies of the LSD Manual<http://www.fao.org/europe/news/detail-news/en/c/1099463/> to countries in the Balkans. Additional copies will be shipped to Central Asian and Eastern Europe at risk countries in the coming days;
-          A manual on RVF surveillance<http://www.fao.org/3/I8475EN/i8475en.pdf> is now available on-line. Rift Valley fever may be the next cattle disease following the steps of LSD into the region;
-          FAO organized a Training on participatory epidemiology principles and techniques in Georgia<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_010318b.html> applied to ruminants between September and December 2018, and developed a ruminant surveillance system, which integrates participatory disease surveillance and current on-going surveillance activities.

Within the Joint FAO/IAEA program, the following activities have been conducted:

-          Video from 4 July 2017 on the support of IAEA to Bulgaria<https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/multimedia/videos/iaea-helps-bulgaria-tackle-cattle-disease-with-nuclear-derived-technique>
-          In the Resolution<applewebdata://4B2ACD3D-D3AD-483B-9827-41D119CE5375/-%09https:/www.iaea.org/About/Policy/GC/GC61/GC61Resolutions/English/gc61res-11_en.pdf> adopted on 21 September 2017 during the 7th plenary meeting of the 61st regular session (IAEA General Conference 2017), the IAEA appreciates the support of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division to the control of outbreaks of lumpy skin disease and other diseases in Africa, Asia and Europe (Paragraph g. page 2 of the document), and recognizes the success of the VETLAB network of veterinary diagnostic laboratories in disseminating the use of nuclear techniques for the diagnosis and control of transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases such as Ebola virus disease, avian influenza and lumpy skin disease in Africa, Asia and Europe, and urges the Secretariat to further increase these efforts (point 12 on page 6 of the document).
-          A joint publication on the molecular epidemiology of lumpy skin disease in Namibia has been submitted together with the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek, Namibia.


1st  Update on lumpy skin disease activities at FAO - January 22, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to update you on the last FAO initiatives/news related to lumpy skin disease. Please click on the hyperlinks for further information:

-          FAO organized on Sept-Oct 2017 a Train-the-trainer program on lumpy skin disease and bluetongue in FYR of Macedonia<http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/1095618/>, which provides access to all training materials. Please contact me for additional information if you would like to replicate this in your country.
-          The lumpy skin disease field manual<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/1fcf63b0-80e9-4f8e-825f-10ea6e998479/> is now available online in five additional languages: Macedonian<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/07c32894-e97f-4236-826e-f195f742f74d>, Serbian<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I7330SR>, Albanian<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I7330SQ>, Turkish<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/i7330TR> andRussian<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ab623323-319b-4321-9d5e-31f2a72a4371>. Translation of the manual into Ukrainian and Romanian will follow in the coming months;
-          FAO has published a FAO position paper on the sustainable prevention, control and elimination of lumpy skin disease in Eastern Europe and the Balkans<http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7827e.pdf>;
-          FAO has published a monograph on LSD (EMPRES 360)<http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7982e.pdf>, which includes detailed reports on the situation in affected countries;
-          FAO has produced a template to aid countries in the development of Lumpy skin disease contingency plans<http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/reu/europe/documents/LSD_template.pdf>;


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