FURTHER INFORMATION 

REQUESTED BY USDA-APHIS OF 

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY 

SENASA TO ATTAIN RECOGNITION 

OF ARGENTINA AS A REGION, AS 

DEFINED IN SECTION 92,2, TITLE 9, 

OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL 

REGULATIONS FOR FOOT AND 

MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) 

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Authority, organization and infrastructure of the veterinary 

MEB3= 

1. How do veterinarians become licensed to work in Argentina? 

Veterinarians in Argentina, after obtaining the degree title shall authenticate 

it at the Ministry of Culture and Education. Afterwards, the professional is 

registered at the National or Provincial Professional Association of 

Veterinary Physicians, according to the jurisdiction where they will be 

working, who assigns them the licence. Licence, both national and 

provincial, is mandatory. 

2. How many private veterinarians are authorized to do ofPiciai 

government work on FMD, and how are they authorized? 

Veterinarians have been part of the Eradication Program since it was 

launched through their Professional Associations or Councils that participate 

as members of the CONALFA, the Regional Committees (COPROSAS) and 

Local Animal Health bodies. 

In Argentina there are approximately 13,000 veterinary physicians of which 

5,950 are accredited by SENASA to carry out health activities for the 

Brucellosis Eradication Program and to certify Brucellosis free holdings, and 

4,924 are accredited for the Tuberculosis program. All veterinarians are 

authorized for all sanitary programs including FMD. 

Veterinarians in private practice are continuously in contact with, and provide 

information to the farmers regarding the required animal health measures. In 
addition they participate in the National Epidemy-Surveillance System 

(Resolution N° 234/96). 

The 'National Private Veterinary Physician Registry' was created by 

SENASA Resolution N° 1067/94. Registry on the Register is annual and the 

professional has to have the license up to date. SENASA issues the 

'Registry Veterinarian' certificate and guarantees the necessary training for 

the correct performing of the duties. 

There is a dispatch pre-inspection for bovines intended for export to the 

European Union, carried out by private veterinarians, who verify the sanitary 

status of the animals and the documents of the premises, issuing a sanitary 

pre-certificate which is later endorsed by the local veterinarian. The local 

veterinarian is responsible for the record keeping of these professionals. 

3. Is specialized training in foreign animal diseases mandatory, and 

how often must a veterinarlan attend such training? 

As expressed in the answer to the previous question, it is concluded that 

private veterinarians are part of the epidemiological surveillance system for 

diseases of mandatory notification as sensors. As soon as they take part of 

the sanitary programs carried out by SENASA, they have to comply with a 

continuous training program, being trained on the procedures and standards 

in force. 

4. Do private or government veterinarians or animal health 

specia/ists need to meet certification requirements to conduct 

official animal health program and/or FIIRD control activities? 
In the case of private veterinarians see questions N° 2 and 3. 

W ith regards to official veterinarians the conditions for the fulfilment of the 

official programs are determined by the compliance of training and up-dating 

activities established by the National Plan. 

Sanitary Education can be mentioned within the main strategies that define 

the "FMD ERADICATION PLAN". This strategy includes training activities 

for the different participants of the program (technicians and administrative 

staff) and promotion of the different activities of the plan. 

The content of the courses meets the technical guidelines established by the 

FMD Nationa ► Eradication Plan and the specific bibliography of the 

O I E/PAHO/FAO. 

Likewise, professionals are comprised in the guidelines of the TRAINING 

OPERATIVE PLAN, established by SENASA and the CIVIL SERVICE 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE, which includes different subjects, in addition to 

FMD, such as: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and other TSE, CrossBorder diseases, Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Farm diseases (Trichinosis, 

Classical Swine Fever, Newcastle, Avian Influenza, etc.). The programs are 

carried out by experts and teachers from SENASA and other institutions 

through agreements with nationai universities, research institutes such as 

INTA (National Institute for Agricultural Technology) and others (FAO, 

INPPAZ, etc.). 

During the past years, several training activities were deve oped within the 

Plan. The main activities are detailed below: 
TRAIN/NG ACTIVITIES YEAR 2001 

9COURSES - TECHNICAL MEETINGS 14 

~

PLANS PROMOTION 421 

_.~ _.~..__-.:_u_.._... ~ _Y ~..__._~ _._a..W_._ ~~ m_~ .. 

TOTAL OF ACTIVITIES: 35 - TOTAL OF PARTICIPANTS: 1233 

TRA/N/NG ACTIVITOES YEAR 2002 

DATE PLACE PARTICIPANTS SUBJECTS 

Paso de los Libres Characterization of 

08/05/2002 Corrientes) 8 Border zone 

Villa Mercedes (San 

03/07/2002 Luis) 12 Vaccination Plans 

San Rafael Sanitary Management 

18/0712002 (Mendoza) 4 System 

Mercedes Sanitary Information 

21/08/2002 (Corrientes) 19 S stems 

Sanitary Management 

11/09/2002 R. Del Tala (E. Rios) 18 System 

12/09/2002 Resfstenaa (Chaco) 4 Vaccination Campaigns 

Lazareto (Capital 

' 25/09/2002 Federal) 15 Vaccinafion Campai ns 

Bolivar (Buenos 

10/10/2002 Aires 15 Sanitary Regulations 

E. Castex (La 

10/10/2002 Pampa) 10 Vaccination Plans 

Epidemiological 

10/10/2002 Vlla Maria Cordoba 15 _ Surveillance 

Lobos (Buenos Epidemiological 

11/10/2002 Aires) 16 Surveillance 

Gualeguaychu Characterization of 

13/10/2002 (E.Rios) 9 Borderzone 

Information Systems at 

15/10/2002 Neu uen (Neuquen 8 Barriers 

16/10/2002 Resistencia (Chaco) 25 Sanitary Alert in 
17/10/2002 La Paz E. Rios) 20 Sanitary Standards 

Rio Grande (T. del 

14/11/2002 Fue o) 17 Sanita Levelin 

TOTALNUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS 

IN COURSES: 215 

01/09/2002 Off-site 344 

— 

FMD Epidemiology 

SENASA 

Headquarters 

15108/2002 (Capital Federal) 43 FMD Epidemiology 

COURSES 2003 DATE PLACE PARTICIPANTS 

FMD Seroepidemiology Up-date 03/10/2003 C6rdoba 39 

FMD Seroepidemiology Up-date 22/10/2003 Corrientes 44 

FMD Seroepidemiology Up-date 12/1112003 Tandil 41 

FMD Epidemiological Surveillance Up-date 03/10/2003 Cordoba 39 

FMD Epidemiological Surveillance Up-date 22/1012003 Corrientes 44 

FMD Epidemiological Surveillance Up-date 12/11/2003 Tandil 41 

Total ( 6 courses) 124 

COURSES 2004 DATE PLACE PARTICIPANTS 

FMD Epidemiology Technical Up-date 25/02/2004 Viedma 24 

FMD Epidemiology Technical Up-date 26/02/2004 R. Colorado 22 

Course on Animal Health Induction 1910312004 Buenos Aires 15 

Course Basic Epidemiology Up-date 30/04/2004 Formosa 18 

FMD Seroepidemiology Tools 16/0612004 Tucuman 35 

FMD Epidemiological Surveillance Up-date 18/06/2004 Tucuman 35 

FMD Seroepidemiology Tools 06/07/2004 San Luis 36 

FMD Epidemiological Surveillance Up-date 08/07/2004 San Luis 36 

Continuous Education Project 

Islands Micro-characterization Project Ongoing Buenos Aires 1 i 
Seminars and Lectures 

AssistedlLectured DATE PLACE PARTICIPANTS 

OPS SIV-CONT Seminar 09/03/2004 Martinez 2 

Cosalfa Seminar 03/04/2004 Bolivia 2 

OIE International Conference 14/04/2004 Buenos Aires 4 

III Argentine Congress on Zoonosis 15/04/2004 Buenos Aires 4 

1 Forum of Scientific Technical Interchange 

of the DNSA 15/07/2004 Buenos Aires 22 

Total (5 Five) 34 

5. Please provide information on functions carried out by the 

National Agrifood Inspection Service DNFA. 

At a national level, DNFA is responsible for ensuring that slaughterhouses, 

processing plants, and/or storage facilities for animal and plant products and 

by-products (whether edible or inedible), comply with hygiene and health 

requirements. DNFA is also responsible for approving all establishments that 

slaughter and/or process products derived from farm animals. The 

Veterinary Inspection Services are responsible for said controls and 

approved plants throughout the country that process for export and for the 

domestic market. International Traffic Direction with the Co-ordination of 

Borders and Federal Traffic takes part in DNFA. 
6. How many veterinarians, inspectorr.s, and support personne/ are 

emp/oyed by the department? What is the DNFA infrastructure in 

the region proposed for evaluation? 

At slaughterhouses of primary inspection, there are 325 official veterinarians 

and 870 official assistant veterinary technicians who perform the ante 

mortem and post mortem inspections of the animals sent to slaughter. 

7. What type of bfosecurity controls exist at slaughtering plants 

approved for export? 

According to the Argentine regulations, by Decree 4238/68, biosecurity 

controls in the plants approved by SENASA are as follows: 

Pens: animals are kept within pens and cannot be moved from the 

slaughterhouse after their entry. 

EfFluent treatment: all effluents from the coldstore (pens, slaughtering yard, 

and water used in all the processes) are treated separating solids, fats, 

liquids and chlorinates before reteasing them to the general sewage system. 

Pens sanitary complex; 

Dead animals are treated at the necropsy digestor, with skin, after diagnosis. 

Fallen animals are slaughtered at the emergency yard and are not used for 

export. 
The sanitary complex effluents are individually treated (disinfection) before 

dumping them to the rest of the common treatments. 

Raw slaughter wastes: 

They are sent to processing plants with thermal treatments, for non-edible 

use, in closed vehicles approved for that purpose. 

They may be processed at the same plant in Melters or digestors with 

thermal treatment to make non-edible by-products. 

Slaughter pathology wastes: they are processed in digestors with 

atmosphere saturated with pressure steam or in Melters to obtain byproducts. 

B. On page 5 of your submission, it was ment6oned that the loca/ animal 

health offices gather information that serves to strenghten the official 

inspection system of livestock operations. Please provide details of the 

kind of inforrnation that is gathered and provide examples of how this 

information is used to strenghthen the official inspection system for 

FMD. 

SENASA local offices have a Sanitary Management system where the 

actions carried out by the local veterinarian are recorded. AII the information 

related to movements, both ingoing and outgoing and RENSPA number, as 

well as destination, producer, coldstore, dates, participating veterinarians, 

etc., is recorded. 
9. It was also mentioned that the local animal health otfices represent 

various local organizations and have technical subcommittees that are 

chaired by official or private veterinarians. What are these /ocal 

organizations and their functions? 

The 318 local SENASA Offices are strategically distributed throughout the 

country and take part of the Officiaf Veterinarian Service to carry out the 

decentralized operative actions. These offices have para-technicians and 

administrative staff, who report to a local veterinarian. Furthermore, there are 

Local Sanitary Entities, which are ONGs that operate as foundations, 

associations, societies, etc., created through SAGPyA Resolution N° 

108/2001. These entities are the result of the cattle producers active 

participation in the FMD eradication and are authorized by SENASA. They 

are formed by an Administrative Committee, constituted by livestock 

producers and other bodies representing the production sector, as well 

national, provincial or municipal representatives related to animal health. A 

Technical Committee chaired by the SENASA Veterinarian and formed by 

the Veterinarians of the Local Sanitary Entity area. This committee carried 

out the sanitary plans set up by SENASA, specially the FMD vaccination 

campaign. An Operative Group formed by co-ordinators, programmers and 

vaccinators who carried out the vaccination in the establishments. 

90. What type of structure, composition, and functions do the technical 

committees have? 
The Technical Committees of the Sanitary Struggle Local Entities are formed 

by provincial, municipal and private professionals, technicians, officials 

(SENASA local Veterinary) who assess local possibilities and characteristics 

for implementing the Local Vaccination Plans established by SENASA that 

shall be carried out by the Operative Group. 

19. What practices, if any, are in p/ace with regard to the control and/or 

prohibition of swill feeding? If swill feeding is al/owed, is heat 

treatment mandatory? 

SENASA Resolution N° 225/95 that regulates holding and maintenance of 

pigs is in force. This standard bans pigs feeding with: raw viscera of any 

origin, kitchen garbage, hospital, clinics and/or nursing homes garbage, 

national and/or intemational ports and airports garbage. 

Feeding of pigs with rests of food substances of animal origin coming from 

stores approved by the competent authority to manufacture and/or sell food 

is authorized. Authorization is conditioned to the compliance of the following 

requirements: 

a) That swill feeding be subjected to a cooking process guaranteeing 

destruction of pathogen organisms where pigs are fed. 

b) The existence in the premise of the equipment necessary to carry out the 

requirements of the previous point, with an operation capacity allowing 

treatment of all the rests in a period of time not longer than eight (8) hours 

since entry. 

12. How is compliance, monitored and enforced? 
SENASA Resolution N° 350/98 establishes a mechanism making the 

SENASA veterinarians duties easier with regards to confiscation of animals 

infected with Trichinellosis or constituting a risk because they do not have 

the necessary sanitary-hygienic conditions, due to failure to comply with the 

previously mentioned, SENASA Resolution N° 225/95. 

At this moment, work is being done on a regulation gathering the previous 

one, to regulate pig activity and widening the scope of the current one with 

the purpose of having all the elements to allow trichinellosis control. As a 

consequence of this, there will be more elements going beyond this disease 

and granting additional guarantees in the case of FMD. 

13. Does Argentina have establishments authorized to process swill? 

What are the requirements for this authorization? 

There are no establishments exclusively approved to process swill. 

Treatments to process food are carried out by the pig producer in the 

establishment or the producer obtains the processed swill from slaughtering 

establishments. 

On the other hand, SENASA Resolution N° 895 of 23/12/2002 rules the 

approval of treatment systems of swill coming through our front ier posts. The 

SENASA inspector, according the risk of the origin of the swill or if that are 

swills of a specific risk shall recommend the treatment to guarantee its 

destruction. 

The requirements for the treatment complies with the OIT recommendations, 

which are considered a strong guarantee of the BSE agent reduction. As it is 
the agent v,rith the highest requirements for its destruction, it may be a 

parameter for this disease prevention as for any other agent with a potential 

risk for animals and human health. 

14. What laws does Argentina have in place to regu/ate movements of 

used farm machinery across regions in Argentina, or across 

international borders, or from regions of higher risk to regions of /ower 

risk? 

There are not specific regulations for farm machinery. 

The former SENASA Resolution N° 809/81 establishes, among other 

aspects, the washing and disinfection of livestock vehicles, transiting empty 

or with animals on the hoof, in all livestock movements in the country. 

Disinfection is carried out in all the freight transports (including farm 

machinery) and it is performed at random in automobiles, in all the entry 

points to the country and entry points to the free areas where vaccination is 

not practiced. These points are sanitarily approved by SENASA and are 

located at certain risk borders. 

In case of emergency or outbreaks this disinfection is carried out in all 

vehicles, including farm machinery. 

15.What are the cleaning and disinfection requirements for trucks, 

vehicles, or any other equipment? 

The Resolution 809 of 1982 establishes the cleaning and disinfection 

requirements for livestock vehicles in plants approved by SENASA. A 
certificate in triplicate is issued laying down that the cleaning and disinfection 

have been carried out. This document must be submitted by the driver when 

required by sanitary authorities as police or National Border Police. This 

document should also be required by the producer, livestock agent as well 

as in the farm, or place where the animals shall be delivered, whenever a 

caftle transport is fulfilled. 

Disease Status 

Please provide more information on the FMD outbreaks in 2001 and 

2002: 

16.Define outbreak and indicate how infection was detected in each 

outbreak. 

Outbreak: Holding where animals with MFD are. 

In all cases the detection of an outbreak arose from the notification about the 

existence of animals with symptoms confusable with vesicular disease. 

Tissues samples were taken from these animals for virus and serum 

isolation and detection of antibodies against non-structural proteins of FMD 

virus. 

17.How long is it likely that the infection was present before the 

detection, and how was it introduced? How long after detection 

were trading partners notified? 
The first cases of FMD detected in 2000 were wrongly diagnosed by private 

veterinarians as Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis IBR or Bovine Viral 

Diarrhea. The wrong diagnosis delayed the implementation of ineasures to 

hold down the disease thus easing its spreading to other holdings. 

First cases were recorded by late July, 2000. ~ Argentina acknowledged internationally the disease in March, 2001. 

The way the disease was introduced in the country in 2000 has not been 

fully elucidated. Nevertheless, the analysis of the information regarding 

typing of acting virus, the areas affected at the beginning of the epidemic 

and the characteristics of the border areas at the north of the country, the 

most probable hypothesis is that the virus may have been introduced 

through the illegal traffic of infected animals from neighboring countries. 

The only outbreak recorded in 2002 was reported on January 5 and 

responded the following day. According to the lesions that were found, the 

disease should have appeared 10 days before. As soon as the diagnosis 

was confirmed, it was internationally notified (OIE, Panaftosa and trading 

partners). 

The origin of the infection of this outbreak was not found in the research 

carried out. Nevertheless, the researches showed that the disease may have 

been the result of the virus residual activity in the area, due to both the short 

time passed since the last outbreak and the poor vaccination record of the 

holding. 

At present Argentina notifies immediately to the intemational community any 

suspicion of a vesicular disease, before confirming the diagnosis. 
18. Provide data on the number of sick animals and herds by species, 

week, and province over the course of the disease outbreaks. 

See tables in Annex I Number of sick animals 2000-2001-2002-2003. 

99. Did any of the outbreaks occur in known vaccinated herds 

(vaccinated once or twice) or in export-approved s/aughterhouses? 

Yes, there were outbreaks in holdings previously vaccinated. In these cases 

vaccination has been carried out in a period ranging from 15 to 120 days 

before the outbreak. 

Nevertheless, these outbreaks appeared at the beginning of massive 

vaccination implementation. 

At present, the records of 7 vaccination campaigns and the ongoing 8' h , plus 

the immunity levels showed in national serology samples, are enough 

elements to deduce the impossibility of the virus circulation. 

With regards to the disease in slaughterhouses, two cases were detected 

through the post mortem observation of tongue lesions. 

The local office of the cattle area was notified in each case, to take 

measures in the holdings were the animal came from. 

20. What specific masures were taken to prevent the spread of FMD to 

other farms? 

The following measures to prevent the infection spreading are taken in 

holdings where suspect or confirmed FMD animals were found. 
• Delimitation of the focal, perifocal and surveillance area; 

• Restraint to move susceptible species within and out the holdings of 

the area; 

• Restrictions on people and vehicles movements; 

• Establishment of check and disinfection points at the exit of the 

affected holding/s and in neighboring roads. 

• Ring vaccination of all susceptible species in a parcel lot depending 

on the area. 

• Slaughter of affected animals and contacts: this measure was 

implemented at the beginning of the outbreak (according to Resolution N° 

478/99); afterwards this measure was not longer practiced due to the 

number of cases and its spreading. The sanitary slaughter was 

implemented again at the last outbreaks in 2001, and in those occurred in 

2002 and 2003 (SENASA Resolution N° 35/2002). 

21. What procedures does Argentina have in place for controlling FMD 

outbreaks detected in slaughterhouses? 

The cases with lesions compatible with FMD in slaughterhouses were 

prompt reported to the local office of the area in order the local veterinary 

could visit the establishment of origin immediately. 

Procedure in the slaughterhouse: PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR FMD 

OUTBREAK RESPONSE — ITEM Detection of outbreak and/or suspicion of 

vesicular disease in slaughterhouses, coldstores and Terminal 
Concentrating Markets (See Annex II Procedures Manual for FMD Outbreak 

Response), 

Decree 4238 and its modifications establishes that in case of FMD detection 

the follov✓ing numerals should be followed: 

10.3. When FMD is confirmed in pens, activities shall be halted in the plant 

and the SENASA office responsible of the establishment area shall be 

notified to take the relevant measures. 

Veterinary Inspection of the establishment. Actions 

10.3.1 Until the National Animal Health and Agrifood Quality Service 

(SENASA) responsible of the establishment area visits the plant, the 

Veterinary Inspection Service shall: 

1) Halt the ingoing and outgoing of animals, raw materials and products; 

2) Halt the movement of freight vehicles and other vehicles; 

3) Take the necessary measures to prevent the virus spreading by the 

person who is in the plant. 

Pens disinfection 

10.3.2 Pens, streets, wallows that may be infected by the FMD virus, shall 

be disinfected with a watery solution of sodium hydroxide at 2% (caustic 

soda) of 94% purity recently prepared or sodium hypochlorite with 5000 

parts by one million active chlorine as minimum, or any other product 

approved by the National Animal Health and Agrifood Quality Service 

(SENASA). 
Slaughtering yard 

11.5.6 If FMD is discovered in the slaughtering yard, the Veterinary 

Inspection Service shall follows the proceedings stated in numeral 10.3.1 of 

the present Rules of Procedure. The National Animal Health and Agrifood 

Quality Service (SENASA) shall decide the actions that will be carried out. 

22. Describe control activities that took place in the focal, perifocal, 

and surveillance zones during the outbreaks. How were atfected and 

exposed animals handled? Were there differences in control 

procedures according to the affected species? 

Focal area : At the start of 2000-2001, outbreak sanitary slaughter of infected 

animals and direct contacts was applied. Afterwards, this strategy proved to 

be impracticable due to the extent and spreading of the disease. 

Consequently, the only control applied in this area was the restraint of 

livestock movements until the risk of infection ended. 

Perifocal Area : Restrain of movements; ring vaccination; periodic 

inspections; serological samples; check and disinfection posts. 

Surveillance or buffer area : Restraint, periodical inspections, vaccination, 

serological samples, setting up of control and disinfection posts. 

Furthermore, as a result of the extent and spreading of the outbreak, some 

areas were restrained; the suspected animal movements were banned 

excepting those that would be slaughtered. 

Regarding the different infected species, ali received the same treatment, 

included vaccination, in contrast to systematic vaccination that is only 

applied on bovines. 
23. What, how many, and on whom (e.g. farmers, veterinarians, 

laboratories, etc.) were pena/ties imposed for non-compliance with 

reporting requirements? 

Taking into account that in this period the attitude was the notification of every 

FMD-like disease and as it was not detected that the notification would have 

been concealed, there were no punishments. 

Decree 643/1996 - ARTICLE 50. — Spontaneous or immediate notification of 

FMD existence or suspicion, supported by strict compliance of sanitary 

standards arising from Law N° 24.305, shall bring the following benefits: 

a) Immediate advise of the NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH SERVICE. 

b) Those foreseen in article 14 of Law Ley N° 24.305. 

Law N° 24.305 

ARTICLE 14. – SENASA shall compensate, at the market value, the producers 

affected by the measures adopted within the framework of article 2° subsection 

f) of this law or by the determining exclusive destination to slaughter due to 

sanitary reasons. 

The Budget National Law shall foresee a specific sum of money to attend this 

expenditures. 

The regulation shall establish the period to make effective this compensations, 

period that will not be longer than thirty (30) days, as from the resolution 

establishing the slaughter or sale for slaughtering. 

If, afterwards, the people responsible of the problem which gave origin to the 

measure are determined by certain, they shall pay for the compensations.