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This joint order has been superseded by an interim final rule published in the Federal Register Nov. 4, 2003.
For related information, visit FDA's monkeypox web page.

REVISION 1 - JULY 10, 2003

Please find enclosed the revised LETTER AND LIST of affected states. Changes are necessary because of new information last week confirming infection in rodents from the 4/9/03 shipment. Thus, it is reasonable and prudent to assume that any state receiving imported rodents from this shipment should also be considered affected. The earlier list focused only on states receiving animals from an "infected premise". Importantly, the new change adds TEXAS to the list, which has a lot of PDs and potential requests for translocation. OHIO and OKLAHOMA have been removed from the list. We will update this list and provide it to you with the revision date and number as more information is developed concerning the tracebacks of affected animals.

REVISION 1 - JULY 10, 2003

Dear: [Government Authority]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have received a number of requests seeking the wild-to-wild translocation or transportation within certain States of prairie dogs that are subject to the June 11, 2003 joint order issued by the CDC and the FDA. The purpose of the joint order is to control the introduction and establishment of the viral disease monkeypox within the United States.

The joint order prohibits, the transportation or offering for transportation in interstate commerce, or the sale or offering for sale, or offering for any other type of commercial or public distribution, including release into the environment, of Prairie dogs (Cynomys sp.) and the following rodents from Africa: Tree squirrels (Heliosciurus sp.); Rope squirrels (Funisciurus sp.); Dormices (Graphiurus sp.); Gambian Giant Pouched rats (Cricetomys sp.); Brush-tailed porcupines (Atherurus sp.), Striped mice (Hybomys sp.).

The prohibition does not apply to individuals who transport listed animals to veterinarians or animal control officials or other entities pursuant to guidance or instructions issued by federal, state, or local government authorities.

We have been asked about appropriate procedures for the wild-to-wild translocation of prairie dogs within the United States. We suggest that states issue guidance or instructions for such translocation of prairie dogs with the following limitations:

1. The intrastate translocation be limited to states that are not implicated in the current monkeypox outbreak.

2. The intrastate translocation of prairie dogs be approved by and conducted under the guidance or instructions issued by federal, state, or local government authorities.

3. "Wild-to-wild" not include captive prairie dogs that are obtained from or delivered to commercial, private, or public settings.

As of JULY 10, 2003, the states implicated in the current monkeypox outbreak include: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. An updated list of implicated states is available by contacting the CDC. For translocation of prairie dogs within states implicated in the current monkeypox outbreak, or for translocation interstate, please refer requesters to FDA for FDA and CDC consideration.

For further information, contact Gloria Dunnavan, Division of Compliance, Office of Surveillance and Compliance, Center for Veterinary Medicine, 7500 Standish Place (HFV-230), Rockville, MD 20855, (301) 827-1168.

Affected States and Category of Animals Possibly Carrying Monkeypox

** African Animals refers to a rodent on the 4/0/03 shipment from Ghana to Texas

Web page updated by mdt, November 6, 2003, 11:56 AM ET

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