title: A foot and mouth disease simulation exercise involving the five Nordic countries.
abstract: Simulation exercises are considered a very valuable tool for testing contingency plans established for the control and eradication of rapid spreading animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and avian influenza. An inter-Nordic simulation exercise was conducted in 2005 with the objective of testing the national foot and mouth disease contingency plans adopted respectively by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The Central Veterinary Administrations of the five countries jointly prepared a scenario which involved about 40 livestock holdings, 4 reindeer flocks, 6 slaughterhouses and approximately 500 people. An Excel spreadsheet with information on the events to take place and the timetable to follow during the exercise was a valuable tool for ensuring that the exercise was kept on track. The evaluation of the exercise dealt both with inter-Nordic activities and the activities of individual countries.
authors.affiliation: ADC-Consult, Mikkelborg Alle 7, DK 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Westergaard
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mortensen
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs / Q000592:standards*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005536:Foot-and-Mouth Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D012053:Reindeer; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012756:Sheep; D013552:Swine; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000592:standards*