. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/361
18 November 2002
(02-6393)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
SITUATION IN PARAGUAY REGARDING THE PROGRAMME TO
KEEP THE COUNTRY FREE OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE
Statement by Paraguay in the Meeting of 7-8 November 2002
I. BACKGROUND
1. In Paraguay implementation of the programme to control Newcastle disease began in 1966 on
the basis of Decree No. 20.274/66.
2. From 1970 onwards, sanitary measures for the import of poultry and eggs were implemented
on the basis of Decree No. 15.655/70.  This basically established the rule that any import of animals
and/or products must be accompanied by a health certificate of origin.  Sanitary requirements were
also introduced for the import of vaccines against the disease.
3. Subsequently, Law 99/91 establishing the Na tional Animal Health Service (SENACSA)
entrusted that institution with responsibility for organizing and carrying out the national plan for thecontrol of Newcastle disease, which is mainly based on the strategies of vaccination, active
epidemiological surveillance, control of outbreaks and health education.
4. In 1998 the programme to eradicate the disease was implemented on the basis of the
regulations contained in Decree No. 21.945/98.
5. The implementation of the above-mentioned strategies enabled the country to declare itself
free of Newcastle disease in December 2000 in Decree No. 11.469/2000 upon fulfilment of the
requirements of Chapter 2.1.15 and Article 2.1.1.15.2 of the International Animal Health Code of theInternational Office of Epizootics (OIE).
II. SANITARY SITUATION (SUMMARY)
A. 
VACCINATION OF THE POULTRY FLOCK
6. As a priority goal in maintaining the status of country free of the disease, it was decided to
vaccinate 100 per cent of the large-scale commercial poultry flocks and of those flocks on familyfarms that might represent a risk of the transmission of the disease.
7. Vaccination of large-scale commercial poultry flocks:  22,000,000 birds;
vaccination of poultry flocks on family farms:  2,500,000 birds.G/SPS/GEN/361
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B. SEROEPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE
8. Seroepidemiological surveillance constitutes one of the main functions of the National
Programme for the Eradication of Newcastle Disease.  Such surveillance covers the whole country,
but is mainly directed at refrigeration plants, zoos and imported animals.
9. So far the samples (blood and cloacal swabs) which have been sent to the SENACSA central
laboratory and were collected during the surveillance activities carried out on a routine basis in
refrigeration plants, family farms, large-scale commercial farms and on wild birds have proved
negative.
10. Thus, in the course of the year 2001 nine cases of diseased birds were reported and in each
case the samples collected (diseased or dead birds) showed no trace of Newcastle disease.
11. As far as the control of movements is concerned, 1,361 batches representing a total of
8,968,412 birds have been inspected at the various points of sanitary control located in the country.
C. VACCINE BANK
12. As part of its prevention programme, SENACSA maintains a vaccine bank so as to meet any
possible needs arising from outbreaks whenever the use of the vaccine is recommended in addition to
sanitary slaughter.  It is important to note in this connection that both imported vaccines and vaccines
produced domestically on the basis of an attenuated virus (La Sota strain) are used.
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