Aquatic Animal Disease Investigations

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for preventing the introduction or spread of diseases affecting finfish, molluscs and crustaceans.

The CFIA is recognized by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as Canada's authority for aquatic animal health.

Reportable aquatic animal diseases pose significant risks to animal health and to the Canadian economy.

If you own or work with aquatic animals and suspect or detect an aquatic animal reportable disease, you have the legal obligation to immediately contact a local CFIA office.

Aquatic animal disease response

While all disease response situations are different, the steps involved in an aquatic animal disease response normally include:

  • initial inspection;
  • sample collection and submission;
  • investigation;
  • disease confirmation;
  • destruction/disposal; and
  • cleaning and disinfection.

CFIA initial inspection

Once the CFIA is made aware of a suspect case, a CFIA veterinarian will visit the premises to assess the health status of the animals.

Samples are necessary when the CFIA veterinarian makes a risk assessment and suspects a reportable aquatic animal disease. If the animals are not exhibiting clinical signs or if there is no other evidence to support suspicion of a reportable disease such as a test from a private or provincial lab, testing would not be required.

Sample collection and submission

The collection, handling, transportation and storage of the samples is carefully monitored and recorded. That is why the Agency will only accept samples that have been collected by a CFIA veterinarian. This information is critical to ensure that test results are reliable and valid according to international standards.

Following the sample collection, the CFIA veterinarian may decide to place a quarantine and / or declare the premises infected to control the potential spread of disease.

Investigation

The CFIA veterinarian begins an investigation by asking a series of questions about the health of the animals and the management practices used at the facility.

CFIA staff may need certain documents to help in their investigation. These documents may include:

  • veterinary records and laboratory reports;
  • a detailed description of facility management practices;
  • records of purchase / sale of feed, animals, etc.
  • visitor logbooks;
  • contact information for the facility veterinarian.

Disease confirmation

Testing to confirm if the animals are infected is conducted at a National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory using internationally accepted testing protocols.

There are a variety of tests that are used throughout the investigation. In some instances, a rapid response test is used.

Other testing methods that may be required to confirm a reportable aquatic animal disease include polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation through cell culture.

Destruction and disposal

If a reportable disease has been confirmed, all aquatic animals are humanely destroyed using internationally recognized methods.

Cleaning and disinfection

Facilities on which infected aquatic animals lived must be cleaned and disinfected after all destruction and disposal activities have been completed.

This could include disinfecting pens, cages and pieces of equipment.

Removal of quarantine

Once cleaning and disinfection are complete on the premises, the CFIA evaluates the facility to determine when the quarantine may be removed.

Depending on the number of animals and the size of the facility, this whole process can take several months.

Completing these important steps helps ensure that a reportable aquatic animal disease has been eradicated from the premises.