ILOILO – The Iloilo Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has called on farmers to immediately report any unusual cases of abortion, stillbirths, or diseases observed in livestock, particularly goats, to their respective Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO).
This advisory from PVO head Dr. Darel Tabuada comes amid the ongoing vigilance against Q fever, a zoonotic disease caused by the Coxiella burnetii bacteria, which can infect cattle, sheep, and goats and is potentially transmissible to humans.
Q fever can induce symptoms such as chills, fever, and muscle pain in humans, and may lead to severe complications affecting the liver and heart if left untreated.
Although Iloilo and the entire Western Visayas region remain free from Q fever, authorities remain cautious.
Tabuada emphasized the importance of prompt reporting to facilitate immediate intervention and diagnosis.
He cited one of the key signs of Q fever in animals – unusual abortions or stillbirths.
A Regional Animal Disease Advisory Council meeting is scheduled this week, led by the Regional Advisory Committee for Animal Disease Control and Emergency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6, to further address these concerns.
Moreover, the Veterinary Quarantine Services (VQS) of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) oversees the monitoring of imported goats at regional ports and seaports, with the PVO augmenting personnel to ensure stringent surveillance.
Tabuada also noted that some imported goats had entered the province, necessitating thorough validation of their origin and submitted documents.
Upon arrival in the country, these imported goats undergo a 40-day quarantine at DA-Central Office facilities in Luzon and Mindanao. Once cleared, the livestock is then distributed to their respective destinations, including Iloilo.
In light of recent Q fever cases in imported goats from the United States, the DA Region 6 has strengthened animal border protocols across Western Visayas. An advisory from the DA-6 urges the public to remain vigilant and reassures the region’s Q fever-free status, encouraging stakeholders to practice strict biosecurity measures.
The Regional Animal Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) is equipped to diagnose a variety of animal diseases, reinforcing the department’s readiness to maintain the region’s status as Q fever-free.
Region 6 holds a significant portion of the national goat inventory, contributing 9.66 percent with 376,312 heads./PN
