Dr Steven Angus, Principal Veterrinary Officer of the Ministry of Primary Industries Fiji. Photo: RAEVENN BREEN
By RAEVENN BREEN
Zoonosis, a disease which can be transferred to animals by their human counterparts, has been noted as a big problem in Fiji.
This was highlighted yesterday on day two of the three day 15th Australasian/Oceania Regional Conference hosted by the Commonwealth Veterinary Association at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi.
Dr Steven Angus who is the Principal Veterinary Officer from the Ministry of Primary Industries in Fiji discussed matters involving Zoonosis in Fiji.
Dr Angus reported through his presentation that three of the main diseases categorised under zoonosis from a human perspective are leptospirosis, tuberculosis and brucellosis.
“Typically you get about 20-100 cases annually in Fiji concerning leptospirosis. During the flooding season last year in April about 500 cases were confirmed,” Dr Angus said.
“We were testing for any leptospirosis cases in some local villages and we found out in the results from these reports and the analysis conducted the figures were horrendously high.
“For cattle we found that 80 per cent were infected, dogs 70 per cent, goats were about 40 per cent and people infected or exposed to the disease came to around 18 per cent.”
Tuberculosis
Dr Angus said in terms of bovine tuberculosis, cattle herds were more likely to be affected.
“Unfortunately quite a number of herds are chronically infected by tuberculosis,” he said.
“The problem with chronically-affected cattle is that when you try and inject a combat agent to fight against the disease it doesn’t seem to prevail.”
“We are however working on trying to provide a better control in order to conduct better testing and ensuring that these herds are less prone and less ill-affected by TB”.
Brucellosis is a bacterial disease typically found in cattle and buffalo, and Dr Angus explained they were trying to prevent the disease from spreading any further in Fijian livestock.
The conference looks at the importance of livestock, food security and the economic activities involved within the agricultural sector of Pacific Island countries.