Animal diseases in Finland 2021

This publication contains information on the animal disease situation in Finland during 2021. Topical information on occurrence of the diseases to be combated under the law and certain other infections in various animal species in Finland has been compiled. The publication also describes the measures taken to prevent and combat animal diseases. The animal disease situation of 2021 was different from the general good situation in Finland. In our country, highly pathogenic avian influenza was first diagnosed in poultry, and in Åland there were cases of IHN in salmonids and varroa mite infection in bees. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is classified as a category A animal disease under the EU Animal Health Regulation, Finland has had official freedom of disease from IHN, with the exception of the 2017—2018 continental epidemic restricted zone, and Åland has had official disease-free status from infestation with Varroa. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to present challenges for the sector’s operations. Since minks in particular are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection of fur animals, the control program of fur animals started in 2020 was continued as well as to prepare for corona infestation of fur animals. Continuous monitoring of the coronal situation in fur farms important, since epidemics that persist in large numbers of animals allow new virus variants to emerge. Although the year was challenging, it also included plenty of successes and the health level of Finnish domestic and farmed animals can still be considered good. Finland remained free of strategically important animal diseases such as enzootic bovine leucosis, IBR and BVD infections, PRRS infections in swine and Echinococcus multilocularis infection. In 2020, Finland applied for official disease freedom status for rabies, bluetongue disease and BVD. Official disease-free country status for Rabies and bluetongue disease was obtained in 2021, and intensified surveillance sampling carried out during the year of the BVD led to the obtaining of disease freedom in early 2022

Food safety in Finland 2021

This report presents the 2021 results of regulatory control related to food safety, official controls and monitoring programmes on food and feed, as well as research and risk assessments. The report also assesses, based on the results, the status of food safety and future needs for regulatory activities in Finland. The report extends the annual report referred to in the EU Control Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 on official control with respect to food safety; the annual report describes the results of the control in the various sectors of the food supply chain as a whole. The results of official controls and investigations from 2021 indicate that the control works well and the level of food safety is good. The investigation of epidemics has developed, and the number of epidemics caused by unknown reasons was the smallest in years. The export controls required by export countries were continued in accordance with the programmes. The number of food recalls has continued to increase dramatically. In 2021, more than 19,000 Oiva reports were published, which is an increase of 19 per cent from the previous year. Control was carried out through prioritised work. The new Food Act and the decrees issued under it entered into force in April 2021

Animal Diseases in Finland 2020

This publication contains information on the incidence of animal diseases to be combated and the prevalence of certain other infections in various animal species in Finland in 2020. The publication also describes the measures taken to prevent and combat animal diseases. Animal disease situation in Finland remained good in 2020. No easily spreading animal diseases were detected. The first case of myxomatosis in Finland was found in wild rabbits. Myxomatosis is a viral disease of rabbits, that occurs around the world. In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic affected sector activity, and as SARS-COV-2 transmits also to several animal species, it was necessary to prepare for possible infections in animals. However, no coronavirus infections in animals were detected in Finland. Finland remained free of strategically important animal diseases such as enzootic bovine leucosis, brucellosis, and bovine tuberculosis, IBR and BVD infections, PRRS infections in swine and Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Preparedness was especially targeted at combating SARS-CoV-2, African swine fever and rabies

Intake of vitamin A, cadmium and lead via liver foods among Finnish women of fertile age – a quantitative risk assessment

In the spring of 2005, the Risk Assessment Unit of the Finnish Food Safety Authority, Evira, started a project entitled “Assessment of Vitamin A Risk of Liver for Pregnant Women,” as requested by the Finnish Food Safety Authority. The project examined the exposure of Finnish women to vitamin A via liver foods and took a look at the need for recommendations related to the consumption of liver during pregnancy

Intake of vitamin A from liver foods among Finnish 1-, 3- and 6-year old children

Consumption of liver and liver-based foods by children under school age – new information and new recommendations Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira has carried out a risk assessment on the exposure to vitamin A of Finnish children under school age though the intake of liver-based foods. On the basis of this research, the recommendations concerning the consumption of liver have been modified. The risk assessment report and new recommendations can be found on Evira’s internet pages: http://www.evira.fi/portal/en/food/information_on_food/recommendations/consumption_of_liver_and_liver-based_foods/ For additional information, please contact: Risk assessment: Senior Scientist Kirsi-Helena Liukkonen, tel. +358 20 77 24029, [email protected] Recommendations regarding the consumption of liver: Senior Officer Annika Nurttila, tel.+358 20 77 24290, [email protected]

The spread of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) within Finland and emergency vaccination in case of an epidemic outbreak

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral epizootic disease of cloven-footed animals, which is controlled both by domestic and EU legislation. FMD has not been found in Finland since 1959. The aim of this risk assessment was, by using Monte Carlo simulations, to assess how FMD would spread, the economic consequences of an outbreak and the feasibility of emergency vaccination in case of an outbreak in Finland. The study was based on data from the Finnish cattle and swine production sectors from 2006. If FMD was introduced to a Finnish pig or cattle farm, it would in most cases spread to four other farms and the disease would be brought under control after 5 weeks. In one-third of the cases, the disease would remain a sporadic case and would not spread at all from the first infected farm. Even a larger outbreak would remain relatively small and short. In the worst case scenario, FMD virus would spread to 29 farms before the disease was eradicated. The mean economic consequences of a sporadic outbreak would be €23 million. In the worst case scenario, the economic losses would be more than €38 million. Emergency vaccination is not a feasible option according to this study, because the current EU measures are able to stop the spread of disease and because vaccination can incur considerable extra costs due to prolonged export distortions

The effects of structural change in agriculture on the spread of animal disease in Finland

The structure of Finnish agricultural production has changed rapidly resulting in an increase in the average farm size and a reduction in the number of farms. Three animal diseases were used to illustrate the impacts of changing production structures and their consequences on the spread and control of disease: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), African Swine Fever (ASF) and Bluetongue (BT). The aim of this study was to assess how changes in the structure of animal production impact on animal disease risks and the economic consequences of diseases. The spread of diseases was simulated according to three predicted future production structure scenarios for 2033 and compared with reference simulations applying the production structure of the year 2009. FMD had the highest spread potential as the probability of spread and magnitude of an epidemic outbreak were the largest. ASF and BT had clearly lower spread potential and also structural change will affect them less. Spread potential is strongly dependent on how logistics will develop in relation with farm size increase. Economic losses due to FMD were similar in 2009 and 2033 simulations

Animal Diseases in Finland 2017

This publication contains information on the incidence of animal diseases to be combated and the prevalence of certain other infections in various animal species in Finland in 2017. The publication also describes the measures taken to prevent and combat animal diseases. The animal disease situation remained good overall, but new diseases were also detected. Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 amongst wild birds continued to occur during springtime. At the end of the year a highly contagious fish disease IHN was detected in four rainbow trout holdings. One Brant’s bat was found positive of bat rabies caused by a new type of lyssavirus. New cases of salmonella were found on 18 farms and Mycoplasma bovis infections were again found in dairy farms. Finland remained free of strategically important animal diseases such as enzootic bovine leucosis, brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis, IBR and BVD infections, PRRS infections in swine and Echinococcus multilocularis infection. The preparedness was especially targeted at combating African swine fever, avian influenza and rabies and was tested in a joint simulation exercise with the Nordic and Baltic countries

Low prevalence of zoonotic multidrug-resistant bacteria in veterinarians in a country with prudent use of antimicrobials in animals

The occurrence of multidrug-resistant zoonotic bacteria in animals has been increasing worldwide. Working in close contact with livestock increases the risk of carriage of these bacteria. We investigated the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and plasmidic AmpC beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL/pAmpC-PE) and livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in Finnish veterinarians (n = 320). In addition to microbiological samples, background information was collected. Bacterial whole genome sequencing was performed to deduce sequence types (STs), spa types and resistance genes of the isolates. In total, 3.0% (9/297) of the veterinarians carried ESBL producing Escherichia coli, with one ESBL producing E. coli isolate producing also AmpC. Seven different STs, sequences of several different plasmid groups as well as several different bla(ESBL/pAmpC )genes existed in different combinations. No carbapenemase or colistin resistance genes were detected. MRSA was detected in 0.3% (1/320) of the samples. The strain belonged to LA-MRSA clonal complex (CC) 398 (ST398, spa type 011, lacking Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes). In conclusion, this study shows low carriage of multidrug-resistant zoonotic bacteria in Finnish veterinarians. However, finding LA-MRSA for the first time in a sample from a veterinarian in a country with prudent use of animal antimicrobials and regarding the recent rise of LA-MRSA on Finnish pig farms, a strong recommendation to protect people working in close contact with animals carrying LA-MRSA CC398 is given. Further studies are needed to explain why the prevalence of LA-MRSA in veterinarians is lower in Finland than in other European countries.Peer reviewe