National Tick Surveillance Program 

 Calendar Year 1979 ' 



During calendar year 1979, the 

 collection and submission of ticks 

 from native and Imported animals and 

 plant and animal material was 5.6 

 percent less than in 1978. There 

 were 11,553 collections in 1979, 

 compared with 12,242 collections in 

 1978 and 4,142 collections in 1977. 



The Harry S Truman Animal Import 

 Center Begins Operation 



Almost 10 years after Federal 

 legislation was signed authorizing 

 the establishing of an isolated 

 animal import station to allow the 

 entry of breeding animals into the 

 United States from countries where 

 foot-an/i-mouth disease and rinderpest 

 exist, the first shipment of 60 Zebu 

 cattle was received on February 8, 

 1980. The shipment arrived by air 

 from Brazil at the Boca Chica Naval 

 Air Station. 



The Harry S, Truman Animal Import 

 Center is located on Fleming Key, an 

 island connected to Key West, 

 Florida, by a short bridge. This 

 location was selected as the site of 

 the quarantine facility because it 

 fulfilled the exacting requirements 

 necessary for such a facility. High 

 security, isolation from other 

 animals, and logistical 

 considerations were of prime 

 importance in the selection of 

 this site. 



High security is required in order to 

 limit access of unauthorized 

 personnel onto the facility. This is 

 readily accomplished by the fact that 

 the import center is located within a t'' 

 U.S. Department of Defense facility 

 which is a restricted area surrounded 

 by a chain-link fence as well as 

 other security features. Isolation 

 from other animals is assured since 

 there are no domestic or wild swine 

 or ruminants on Fleming Key. The 



island is 60 air miles from the 

 mainland and serviced by a single 

 road which can be readily monitored. 



Air transportation is provided by the 

 commercial airlines which service the 

 Key West Area. Ocean-going vessels 

 carrying livestock, with special 

 permission, are allowed to use the 

 U.S. Navy's piers in Key West. 

 Livestock arriving by air may use the 

 nearby Boca Chica Naval Air Station. 



The import center, which at present 

 is only accepting cattle, has the 

 capacity for 400 imported cattle as 

 well as 100 test cattle and 100 test 

 swine. All import animals are kept 

 in isolation for 5 months during 

 which time they are thoroughly tested 

 and observed to assure they are free 

 of disease. Two groups of 400 cattle 

 can be handled each year. If any 

 animal in the import center is 

 affected with foot-and-mouth disease 

 or rinderpest, then the entire group 

 of import animals is refused entry 

 into the United States. 



Pre-entry procedures require that all 

 animals are carefiilly screened and 

 tested in the coimtry of origin to 

 assure that they meet the USDA 

 standards of health before they are 

 allowed in the animal import center. 

 In addition to conducting a battery 

 of sophisticated tests for viral , 

 bacterial, and protozoal agents, all 

 the animals are carefxilly inspected 

 and treated to insure they are free 

 of ticks, mites, and other external 

 parasites. This thorough health 

 study of the import animals as 

 individuals and as a group is 

 necessary to protect the U.S. 

 livestock industry against the 

 introduction of exotic diseases such 

 as foot-and-mouth, rinderpest, and 

 trypanosomiasis. 



