ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN 2018-2020
The paper provides information on foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) type O outbreaks registered in the Russian Federation in 2018-2020. The data on animal morbidity, mortality and culling in the outbreak area and zones being at risk of infection spread are given. The economic impact of FMD outbreaks has been estimated, which also reflects the total cost of anti-epidemic measures and arrangement of animal culling measures within the stamping out program. Thus, 23 FMD type O outbreaks were registered in the territory of the Russian Federation in 2018-2020. In 2018 five FMD outbreaks were registered, as a result 1,273 cattle, 1,597 small ruminants and 7 pigs were culled. In 2019 FMD type O outbreaks were registered in the Primorsky (15 outbreaks), Khabarovsk and Zabaikalsky Krais (one outbreak in each area). In total 77,607 pigs, 261 cattle and 1,131 small ruminants died and were destroyed in the outbreak areas. In 2020 one FMD type O outbreak was recorded in the Zabaikalsky Krai. 264 cattle, 30 small ruminants and 59 pigs were destroyed in the outbreak area and the zone being at risk of infection spread. The estimated losses amounted to about 1.837 billion rubles. Local and single FMD outbreaks occurring in the Russian Federation pose a serious problem in terms of maintaining the OIE official FMD-free status of the country. This situation requires improvement of anti-epidemic measures and conducting monitoring diagnostic testing in areas being at high risk of the virus introduction from FMD infected countries.