Managing the koi herpesvirus disease outbreak in Indonesia and the lessons learned

In 2002, the suspected koi herpesvirus (KHV) outbreak in Indonesia was investigated by an International Emergency Disease Control Task Force organized by NACA immediately following a request for assistance by the Government of Indonesia. The Task Force gained immediate support from ACIAR, AAHRI, FAO, CENTEX-Thailand, INTERVET, Stirling University, and the University of California. The Task Force findings revealed the involvement of an infectious agent, an analogy with KHV outbreaks, its introduction through fish importation and its spread into other areas through fish movement. A number of actions taken by the Government of Indonesia included temporary restrictions, through a Ministry Circular, on the movement of koi and common carps, intensive information dissemination, emergency notification to the OIE, and early warning to neighbouring countries. FAO immediately responded by providing an emergency technical assistance project to improve Indonesia's national capacity to respond to the carp disease epizootic. Recognizing the significance of and necessity for: (a) enhancing regional and international cooperation;(b) improving awareness of emerging disease epizootics and improving diagnostic capabilities at both national and regional levels;(c) proactive reporting of serious disease outbreaks as a mechanism for early warning;(d) detailed documentation of outbreak scenarios;(e) emergency preparedness;(f) empowering farmers to manage disease and other risks; and (g) strong national commitment from concerned authorities are some of the important lessons learned. Despite the intense efforts, the spread of KHV did not stop and continued to affect other countries such as Japan, China, the Taiwan Province of the Republic of China, and most recently Thailand. All relevant stakeholders cannot afford to be complacent and we need innovative responses to current and future disease challenges. The lessons learned in managing the Indonesian KHV outbreak as well as lessons from past disease epizootics will hopefully assist us in improving preparedness and responses to similar events when they occur in the future.