Chapter 9 - Emergency Situations

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9.3 Response

9.3.1 Low Risk vs High Risk

The first determination the veterinarian must make is whether this is a high or low risk situation. Response activities at the registered establishment will depend on this decision by the Veterinarian in Charge, who may consult with the Animal Health District Veterinarian, the Regional Veterinary Officer, and Programs (Animal Health and Meat Hygiene), as to whether the suspected disease situation is to be considered a Low Risk or a High Risk of being a Foreign Animal Disease. This decision will be based on the severity and nature of the clinical signs, the total number and the percentage of the lot of animals affected, the history as indicated in the flock sheet, and the mortality rate. In order to fully evaluate the severity of the risk, there needs to be information from the farm of origin of the animals. The following questions can be asked:

• Are the clinical signs typical of the disease you suspect?
• Are a number of animals in the lot affected? What percent of the lot is affected? What is the morbidity?
• What is the mortality rate? What is the number of dead on arrivals?
• Can you explain the mortality by extenuating circumstances such as weather, transport time or distance?
• Does the flock sheet support an illness in the flock? High mortality etc.?
• Does the telephone report from the originating farm support the hypothesis?
• Does the truck driver have any additional information?

As a general principle, when one animal or carcass is suspected of being infected with a foreign animal disease, all animals or carcasses from the same farm source or supplier must be detained and isolated until an investigation can be carried out. The Veterinarian or Inspector in Charge, in consultation with the District Veterinarian, appropriate Program Officers, Inspection Manager and/or the Regional Veterinary Officer, must decide whether the movement of other animals, products, or people into or out of the slaughterhouse should also be stopped pending the investigation.

Management should be informed of all limitations on plant operations which will be necessary, and the cooperation required. It should emphasized that the financial impact of restrictions early on in the control period will be minimal compared to the impact not only on the establishment's own financial well-being but also on the Canadian livestock industry in its entirety should the lack of action result in a widely disseminated foreign animal disease.

If the disease has zoonotic potential, then staff must don the appropriate personal protective equipment.

9.3.1.1 Low Risk

After controlling the suspect animals and/or products, instituting bio-security, initiating the farm of origin traceback investigation, sampling, cleaning and disinfecting, the plant will be allowed to continue operations. Samples are to be sent to the appropriate laboratory as confirmatory negative.

9.3.1.2 High Risk

The plant will be declared an "Infected Premise" (CFIA/ACIA 4204). There will be no further animals admitted to the plant, and when animals on site have been slaughtered, all slaughter operations will cease until the disease has been confirmed or ruled out. No products, by-products, waste materials, vehicles or people will be allowed to leave the premises without adequate cleaning and disinfecting. As above, control activities, sampling, cleaning and disinfecting, bio-security and traceback will be initiated.

9.3.2 Time of Detection of a Foreign Animal Disease

9.3.2.1 Detection During Ante mortem Examination

Ante mortem is clearly the optimal time to detect a disease, as the symptoms of many foreign animal diseases would be most evident in the live animal. This will also allow for the segregation of all the animals from the same source, for in depth ante mortem examination, for sample collection from the live animals, for separate slaughter, preferably at the end of the kill to avoid cross contamination, and for detailed post mortem examination and sampling.

This may also affect the contamination of the kill and evisceration floors, and have an effect on the clean-up required.

9.3.2.2 Detection During Post mortem Examination

If the disease is detected during post mortem inspection, the required control actions will differ somewhat due to the potential contamination of the kill floor, the evisceration area, and possibly even the post-slaughter storage areas (i.e. chillers, freezers).

The slaughter process must be immediately halted to identify all animals and/or carcasses from the same origin, plus any in-contact carcasses that would also be considered contaminated. These would be segregated and detained. Diagnostic samples should be collected from the suspect carcass(es). The live animal holding areas would be examined to identify any other animals from the same source, plus animals that have had significant contact with these. After ensuring that slaughter staff has any required personal protective equipment, the slaughter would be allowed to resume processing these animals. Processing would occur at a slow enough speed to allow increased inspection and the collection and quantification (number of carcasses affected) of samples and significant pathological lesions. All carcasses from these animals would be segregated and detained with the initial group.

When handling of this suspect group is completed, the slaughter would again be halted and a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the kill floor and any other potentially contaminated areas would take place under the supervision of CFIA staff. When this is completed and deemed acceptable (i.e. no risk of contamination to subsequent carcasses), slaughter will be allowed to resume. Any products/by-products of this subsequent slaughter that cannot be effectively segregated from the potentially infected material (i.e. offal) will also be considered potentially contaminated and will be detained.

9.3.3 Initial Response - Communication, Control and Quarantine, Traceback, Samples, Cleaning and Disinfection, Disposal, Record of Activities

9.3.3.1 Notification/Communication

The Veterinarian in Charge will immediately explain the concerns about a potential foreign animal disease, and the required actions, to plant management.

Using the list of contacts, the CFIA will inform both operations (district veterinarian and Regional Veterinary Officer or Inspection Manager) and programs (FAD Officer or Meat Hygiene Program Specialist) of the situation. This will provide support and advice to the Veterinarian in Charge, begin to mobilize the network of responders, and start the flow of information regarding need to deal with a potential emergency.

The operator will contact the respective departments, the employees, the suppliers, the truckers, and possibly the customers as the situation unfolds. If necessary (s)he will contact producers and industry associations.

9.3.3.2 Control and Quarantine

Early control of the movement of animals, products, equipment and people is the key to preventing the spread of a disease. In the high risk situation, the entire establishment is to be declared an infected premise by issuing CFIA/ACIA 4204. In both high and low risk scenarios all affected product is held.

All suspected and known contact animals and products from the same lot or source are to be isolated and detained as much as possible. This product should be placed in a separate cooler or separate area of the cooler under detention.

Suspend the movement of all animals, products and vehicles to and from the premises pending clinical verification of diagnosis and/or advice from the Animal Health Veterinarian or Program Officer or Manager.

The CFIA should assume control of the arrival and departure of all personnel. If departures are absolutely necessary, any personnel having contacted suspected animals, carcasses or portions should shower and, if at all possible, change clothing. Boots, shoes and vehicles should be sanitized before allowing people to leave the establishment. Departing personnel should be advised to stay away from susceptible livestock until the situation is resolved. Unavoidable arrivals should not be permitted contact with any suspicious or contact animals or products.

No inedible product, waste, animal food, bedding, feed, garbage, etc. can leave the premises unless the disposal poses no risk of disseminating the disease. If necessary, this material can be held on site until a diagnosis is established or ruled out.

9.3.3.3 Traceback

The Veterinarian in Charge can assist in the subsequent investigation of the suspect case by beginning to accumulate the following information:

• origin of suspect animal(s);
• contacts of suspect(s) since arrival at the slaughterhouse;
• transportation used to bring suspect(s) to the slaughterhouse;
• the route and any other stops, and the present location of vehicle(s); and
• time of arrival of suspects and the disposition of animals, products and plant waste (including inedible material) from that point.

9.3.3.4 Samples

According to the disease specific standard operating procedures, or with guidance from program officers, the harvesting of tissue specimens will begin. This will be the responsibility of the Veterinarian in Charge or the District Veterinarian according to the contingency plan. Either one may be asked to help with either the collection or the shipping. Sample submission to the laboratory will be under the direction of the program manager, animal health and production. Specimens from a suspected case of foreign animal disease must not be shipped without proper notification.

9.3.3.5 Cleaning and Disinfection

The operator should commence clean-up and disinfection measures as outlined in the contingency plan, (see section 9.2.8) under the supervision of the inspection staff who will rely on the advice of their Program Officers. Knowing the areas of greatest possible contamination, the areas at greatest risk of exposure, the CFIA will be best positioned to oversee and evaluate this process.

9.3.3.6 Disposal

The normal routine for disposing of inedible and condemned material, animal food, garbage, feathers, bedding, etc. may present a risk of spreading the disease. As in the contingency plan, the operator is to verify whether the usual disposal methods are acceptable, whether a company providing disposal services would accept the material and be able to process or contain it in a manner that does not risk spread, and have alternatives which are acceptable for contaminated or infective material.

The inspectors are to ensure that none of the above leaves the establishment unless the disposal is acceptable. If necessary these may all be detained on site until the disease status is determined.

9.3.3.7 Record of Activities

Both the Veterinarian in Charge and the operator should keep a record of all their activities, contacts, telephone calls, and decisions from start to finish of the situation. This is critical for any review and analysis of the response.

9.3.4 Awaiting Confirmation or Laboratory Diagnosis

The next critical span of time will come after the initial response and will be that period between the submission of specimens and confirmation of diagnosis. This could entail the suspension of plant operations for a significant time, since the time required for confirmation will vary with the distance involved and the type of laboratory procedures required. It may be from a few hours to a couple of weeks.

It can be seen that responsible action by the Veterinarian in Charge is essential in order to minimize the disruption of what may be a large and complex operation while, at the same time, limiting the opportunities for disease dissemination. In low risk incidents, the plant is allowed to keep operating. Since the premises are considered infected in the case of high risk incident, operation could only continue under very controlled circumstances. Directions for necessary production controls during this period will be developed in consultation with the Regional Veterinary Officer, the inspection manager and the responsible program officer. Operations will remain suspended until such information is received by the Veterinarian in Charge. This is the opportunity to gather background information required for the subsequent investigation.

9.3.5 Confirmation of Diagnosis

A high risk determination or a confirmed diagnosis will bring into action the Foreign Animal Disease Emergency Response Team. The Veterinarian in Charge will be expected to provide a record of all his/her actions and information concerning all establishment processes and procedures to this team. Other directions concerning the activities of the Veterinarian in Charge and his staff during this period will come from the program manager or the emergency team. Instructions regarding the resumption of normal operations will likely be received from the Regional Director.

9.3.6 The Role of the Abattoir in the Event an Outbreak Was Detected Somewhere Else

The abattoir may well be involved in various other aspects of the foreign animal disease emergency response such as depopulating animals within an area, testing animals, or in the storage of meat. Direction would come through operational channels after consultation with program staff.

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