Transcript Document
“Tails” from Quarantine:
Animal Importation Stories
from the On-Call Veterinarian
LCDR Heather Bair Brake
Zoonoses Team
Quarantine Border and Health Services Branch
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Global Migration and Quarantine
Overview
Animal Importation
Volume & purpose
Regulatory authority
CDC Zoonoses Team
Tails from Quarantine
“Bat on a Plane”
“Rabid Rescue”
“Cargo Ship Monkey”
Live Animal Importation - 2006
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service LEMIS Data
135,731 mammals
243,004 birds
1.5 million reptiles
4.8 million amphibians
228 million fish
CDC Animal Data
287,000 dogs*
26,000 nonhuman primates**
*McQuiston JH et al. Importation of Dogs into the United States: Risks from Rabies and Other Zoonotic
Diseases. Zoonoses and Public Health, 2008: 55;421–426
**Bob Mullan, CDC Zoonoses Team, Personal Communication
Reasons for Animal Importation
Exhibition at zoos
Education and research
Scientific conservation programs
Use as food and other products
Tourism and immigration
Commercial pet trade
Personal pets
Accidental
Regulating Animals and
Animal Products
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health
Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS)
Veterinary Services
Animal Care
Department of Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
DHHS, CDC, Division of
Global Migration and Quarantine
Primary focus is human health
Authority to restrict importation of animals is related to
potential health risks to humans
20 CDC Quarantine Stations at major ports
Enforce DHHS statutory authority at ports of entry
Depends heavily on federal partners at ports of entry
CDC Regulatory Authority
Importation of Animals and Animal Products
42 Code of Federal Regulations 71
– Foreign Quarantine
Subpart F – Importations
71.51 – Dogs and cats
71.52 – Turtles, tortoises and terrapins
71.53 – Nonhuman primates
71.54 – Etiologic agents, hosts and vectors
71.56 – African rodents
Subpart D – Health Measures at U.S. Ports:
Communicable Diseases
71.32(b) – Persons, carriers, things
Responding to
a Public Health Threat
42 CFR 71.32(b) : Persons, Carriers, or Things
When persons, carriers, or things on a carrier are
suspected of being infected or contaminated, CDC
may require detention , disinfection, disinfestation,
fumigation, or other measures necessary to prevent the
introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable
diseases.
Zoonoses Team Mission
Prevent the introduction and spread of
diseases of public health significance to
humans from imported live animals or cargo
containing infectious animal products
IT’S A BIRD… IT’S A PLANE… NO.
IT’S A BAT ON A PLANE!
August 5, 2011
6:45 am flight from Madison, WI, to Atlanta, GA
http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2011/08/10/article-1312981208026-0D6121D500000578-530287_304x456.jpg
Risk Assessment
Agent of concern: Rabies
Evaluation of passenger exposure status
Contact with bat
Sleeping during the flight
Mental impairment
Wounds of unknown origin
Evaluation of crew/ground staff exposure
Contact with bat
History of bat infestation at airport
Categorized into no, low, medium or
high risk
Passenger and Crew
Risk Assessment Results
Passengers
Residents of 11 states
Mean age: 41.2 years (range: 2 – 63 years)
47% female
Crew
2 pilots
1 flight attendant
16 ground crew members
Ground crew reported prior bat sightings
No crew or pasengers reported contact with bat
No postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) recommended
Environmental Assessment
No evidence of bats or bat droppings
Airport animal incident record review
5 bats identified during 2011
Airplane doors kept open overnight
Holes in the ceiling where jetway meets terminal
Jetway canopy folds likely hiding place
Recommendations
Close holes in jetway ceilings
Clean jetways during bat season
Require mandatory employee training
Custodial staff
Baggage handlers
THE CASE OF THE RABID RESCUE
Operation Baghdad Pups
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
International organizes rescues
Rescue of soldiers’ pets from Iraq and
Afghanistan
Rescue initiated by one soldier’s plea to save
his regiment’s mascot, Charlie
Coming to America
2008, a shipment of 24 dogs and 2 cats arrived in
United States from Iraq
Housed in empty
cargo warehouse at
at Newark
Liberty Airport
Groomed
Evaluated by veterinarian
Two animals showed neurologic signs
Cat – had small bite wound on its tail
Dog – no obvious signs of bite wounds, no
history of exposure to rabid animals
http://blog.syracuse.com/pets/200
8/06/post_13.html
Crusade for Crusader
June 8: Crusader became wobbly
and “snappy,” and developed
diarrhea
June 11: Euthanized following
progressive weakness
June 18: Tissue tested positive
for rabies
“Crusader”
http://gothamist.com/2008/10/03
/rescued_dogs_from_iraq_promp
t_rabie.php
Follow-Up Investigation
June 10: Remaining 23 dogs and one cat
shipped to destinations in 16 states
All animals were located within 2 weeks
Because of exposure to rabid dog:
Pets:
Receive rabies booster
6 months of quarantine as determined by their state
People:
13 received PEP
International Pet Rescue
Thousands of dogs and
cats are rescued and
brought into the United
States yearly
Many are rescued off the
streets
Creates health risks for
both humans and animals
Animal Rescue Team Taiwan
Regulations for Importation
CDC requirements:
Dogs:
– Must be healthy upon arrival AND
– Must be accompanied by proof of valid
rabies vaccination* OR be placed in
confinement
– Must meet state and local government
requirements
Cats:
– Must be healthy upon arrival
*Rabies vaccination is waived for dogs arriving from rabies-free
countries.
OPERATION SEA MONKEY
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Global Migration and Quarantine
Event Time Line
3/24/2011
Ship departed
in
3/29/2011
4/13/2011
CBP reported
Ship due to Angola
monkey loose
arrive
on cargo ship
Houston, TX
Pre-Event Planning
Houston Quarantine Station
Confirmed report and notified branch
leadership and Z-team
Joint agency planning began
Initial Picture from Vessel
Pre-Event Planning
Two conditions for ship to dock
1) NHP is captured and secured in a crate or other
container by crew before ship arrives
2) NHP is dead, double bagged and stored,
preferably cold, before arrival
Guidance developed for each scenario
Minimize exposure to NHP
Disinfect soiled areas on vessel
The Response
April 9, 2011: Captain reports NHP capture
Boarding Plan and Responsibilities
US Coast Guard and CBP
Security and entry screenings
Houston Quarantine Staff
Crew health assessments
Zoonoses Team
Assess NHP health and crate integrity
Inspect areas where NHP had access
Response at Port of Houston
Response at dock
US Fish and Wildlife
Vessel agent and
legal representative
CBP
CDC
Transport company
NHP removed from vessel in crate and
transported to registered importer facility
NHP Assessment
No fear of humans
Possible pet
Hybrid of species
Physical Exam
Performed under anesthesia
Good body condition
No significant findings
Testing of NHP
First tuberculin skin test placed one day
after arrival
Positive test
NHP was euthanized
Necropsy
No significant findings on gross
pathology
Filovirus test was negative
TB cultures, no growth
Conclusions
Risk to crew from NHP was minimal
No evidence of active tuberculosis in NHP
Reports indicated that NHP was outside most
of the voyage
Crew reported no close contact with NHP
There is nowhere in the world from which we are remote and
no one from whom we are disconnected
PNAS, 2004
Preventing Disease Importation
Partnership with state and local health
departments
Partnership with other federal agencies at U.S.
ports of entry
Open communication between CDC and
importing organizations:
International pet rescue groups
Zoos
Research institutions
Acknowledgments
CDC Quarantine Branch
Emily Lankau – DGMQ EIS Officer
Teal Bell – CSTE fellow
Thomas George – Officer in Charge, Houston QS
Zoonoses Team
Adam Langer
Gale Galland
Bob Mullan
Julie Sinclair
Sheryl Shapiro