Title
Foot-and-Mouth Disease in the Wakhan District, Afghanistan - Preliminary Investigations for a Pilot Vaccination Project
Author(s)
Ostrowski, S., H. Noori and A.M. Rajabi
Abstract
WCS have been studying the Wakhi livestock herds since 2006, focusing particularly on their health status since disease transmission from livestock to wildlife can be devastating for wild ungulate populations. Foot-and-Mouth epizootics are regular in Afghanistan, with 3 serotypes known for the country. However, very little is known about Foot-and-Mouth disease epidemiology in the remote areas of the Wakhan. With this in mind, the Ecosystem Health Team went on a mission in 2009 to question Wakhi herders, repeat a serological survey of livestock carried out in previous years and test serological responses of cattle to an available vaccine, all as a precursor to a mass vaccination campaign. This report discusses their findings and helps act as a potential model for other livestock communities across high-altitude Central Asia.
Keywords
Foot-and-mouth disease, Wakhan Valley, Badakhshan, Afghan Pamirs, yak, cattle, vaccination, paraveterinarians, serology, cross species transmission, questionnaire survey, epidemiology

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