Gyeonggi Province Sees FMD Vaccine Antibody Positivity Rate Rise to 99.3% from Last Year

Gyeonggi Province has reported that the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) antibody positivity rate among cattle and goat farms has increased compared to last year, based on antibody monitoring conducted after the nationwide vaccination campaign in the first half of this year.

On May 18, Gyeonggi Province announced that it conducted a structural protein (SP) antibody test in April on 2,320 cattle and goats from 227 farms across the province. The overall antibody positivity rate was recorded at 99.3%. This marks an increase from 99.1% in the first half and 98.9% in the second half of last year.

For cattle farms, both small-scale and commercial operations showed a positivity rate of 99.4%. For goat farms, small-scale farms posted 98.3%, while commercial farms recorded 94.6%.

Serum is being collected for foot-and-mouth disease antibody testing. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

In addition, all results for the non-structural protein (NSP) antibody test, which checks for FMD infection, were negative, indicating a low probability of FMD virus circulation within the farms.

This round of testing was carried out to confirm the level of antibody formation following the nationwide FMD vaccination campaign in the first half of the year. Since proper vaccination alone can significantly reduce the risk of FMD spread, preventing missed vaccinations and ensuring timely inoculation are crucial.

Nam Younghee, Director of the Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory, stated, "The most fundamental and effective method to prevent foot-and-mouth disease is thorough vaccination and strict farm biosecurity. We will do our best to block FMD outbreaks by strengthening continuous monitoring and antibody testing, as well as supporting the disinfection of farms and vulnerable facilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.