Preparedness for major OIE-listed epidemics: implementation of simulation exercises

Large-scale outbreaks of animal disease cause mass death of animals, a devastating economic impact on livestock industries and communities and furthermore often great distress for owners and keepers of animals. Such large-scale outbreaks have, during the last decade, been experienced by certain EU Member States in pigs caused by classical swine fever outbreaks, in ruminants and pigs due to foot and mouth disease and in poultry as a result of infections by avian influenza virus. With the aim of preventing introduction of the OIE former list A diseases and enhance disease preparedness most European countries have in recent years adopted contingency plans and conducted simulation exercises. Simulation exercises will, in this paper, be discussed with special references to: objectives, scope of exercises, preparation of scenarios, tasks to be performed by participants, the need for facilities, management of exercises and the work of the supervisory team.