Exercise VAJRA-SAT

Exercise VAJRA-SAT Latest News

Recently, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) organised Exercise ‘VAJRA-SAT’.

About Exercise VAJRA-SAT  

• It is the national tabletop exercise on Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) serotype SAT-1.
  • FMD serotype SAT-1 has not been reported in India.
  • In view of its geographical spread beyond Africa to parts of West Asia, the exercise was undertaken as a proactive preparedness initiative to safeguard livestock health, farmers’ livelihoods and the livestock economy.
• Theme: It was held under the theme “Detect Early, Confirm Fast, Contain Together,”
• Participants: It brought together 83 participants from 25 States, three Union Territories and key national institutions.
• Organised by: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), in coordination with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bengaluru.

Key Facts about Foot-and-Mouth Disease

• It is a highly contagious viral infection that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats.
• Cause: It is caused by an Aphthovirus of the family Picornaviridae.
• Symptoms
  • It is characterised by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves.
  • The disease causes severe production losses,
  • The disease is rarely fatal in adult animals, but there is often high mortality in young animals due to myocarditis.
• Intensively reared animals are more susceptible to the disease than traditional breeds.
• Transmission: It is transmitted through
  • Infected animals newly introduced into a herd (carrying virus in their saliva, milk, semen, etc.); 
  • Contaminated pens/buildings or contaminated animal transport vehicles; 
  • Contaminated materials such as hay, feed, water, milk or biologics; 
  • Contaminated clothing, footwear, or equipment; 
  • Virus-infected meat or other contaminated animal products
• Treatment: Vaccination is the only effective preventive measure against FMD.

Source: PIB

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