Maul and claw disease in Brandenburg: water buffalo under quarantine!

On January 10, 2025, a break in the mouth and claw disease (MKS) in the Märkisch-Oderland district, Brandenburg, was confirmed. A company is affected that holds water buffalo in Hönow. In this incident, three water buffalos already died, while eleven other animals have to be killed as a precaution. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, Agricultural Minister Hanka Mittelstädt has issued an urgent regulation that includes a ban on transport for cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and camelids for 72 hours.

A task force consisting of three veterinarians and two specialists from the Friedrich Löffler Institute (Fli) is active on site. In addition, a crisis team will meet in Seelow next Saturday to coordinate the containment measures. The Bundestag Committee for Nutrition and Agriculture will meet on January 15 on this topic. A blocking circuit of around three kilometers and a surveillance zone of ten kilometers was set up around the affected company. In addition, companies in Berlin and in the Barnim district were closed and monitored as a precaution. The Berlin zoo is also closed as a preventive measure.

dangers and distribution of the MKS

The district of Barnim has already warned of the high risk of spreading the mouth and claw disease. MKS is a highly contagious viral infection that can affect claws such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs as well as zoo and wild animals. It is harmless to humans, and under hygienic conditions there is no risk of pasteurized milk or dairy products.

MKS has not appeared in Germany and the EU since 1988. However, the disease occurs in Turkey, in the Middle East, Africa, many Asian countries and parts of South America. The virus can be transmitted by lively and non -lived vectors and spread over large distances with the air. Animals that can be recovered by MKS can remain carriers of the virus for a long time.

according to information from Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture are responsible for combating animal diseases in Germany. After the outbreak, measures to kill the affected animals and to set up restricted zones were immediately initiated. Epidemiological studies to clarify the epidemic jump and to determine possible contact companies are also carried out.

For more information about the situation, rbb24 .