Oral communication in 13th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics

August 20^th, 2012

Sanchez-Vizcaino F., Martinez-Lopez B. and Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a vector-borne disease that may produce an important impact on the public and animal health in affected regions. In last decade, it has been considered a re-emerging disease with an
increase on the number of outbreaks in the African continent, Madagascar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This situation has increased the concerns regarding the potential introduction in countries of the Mediterranean Basin such as Spain, where prevailing favourable climatic conditions may contribute to the spread of the disease and may challenge its rapid control. The aim of this study was to assess the risk for RVF virus (RVFV) introduction into Spain through different risk pathways and to identify the Spanish areas at highest
risk for disease introduction. In order to achieve this goal, a qualitative risk assessment model was developed with data obtained from scientific literature, governmental and public sources and expert opinion. Pathways assessed were legal trade of ruminants and their products, entry of people and mechanical and wind-borne
transport of RVFV or vectors. Several potential scenarios were evaluated to assess the impact that changes on the RVF epidemiological situation might have on the risk of entry into Spain. Model revealed that windborne transport of RVFV-infected vectors is the route that poses the highest risk for RVF introduction into
Spain. Specifically, there was a moderate risk for RVF introduction into Canary Islands from Mauritania by this pathway. Moreover, it has been estimated that, if RVF affects the Maghreb, especially Morocco,
the risk for RVF introduction into Spain would increase, being particularly high in the Spanish provinces of Cadiz and Malaga, which hold high ruminant densities. The methods and results presented here may be useful to support the design of risk-based surveillance programs of RVF in Spain and, ultimately, to prevent and rapid control potential RVF outbreaks in the country

	Servicio de Inmunología Viral y Medicina Preventiva (SUAT). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM).