Experts from the Americas advance in defining strategic reserves for the Regional Foot-and-Mouth Disease Antigen Bank, coordinated by PANAFTOSA

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, September 24, 2026 (PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO) - Experts in foot-and-mouth disease from the member countries of the Regional Antigen Bank for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (BANVACO) met in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, to advance the definition of the technical foundations that will guide the establishment of the Bank's strategic antigen reserves.

During the meeting, coordinated by PANAFTOSA, participants analyzed different epidemiological scenarios related to foot-and-mouth disease, the risks of introduction and spread of the virus in the Americas, the regional animal health situation, and the recent behavior of different viral lineages in other regions of the world.

As a result of the meeting, the experts reached technical consensus on a set of recommendations to be submitted to the BANVACO Steering Committee. These include the identification of priority strains that could be included in the Bank and the definition of the minimum number of doses to be considered for the establishment of strategic reserves.

These recommendations represent an important step toward the operationalization of BANVACO and strengthening the preparedness and response capacities of countries in the region in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease emergency.

A continuously updated antigen bank

The experts emphasized that the composition of a regional antigen bank should be understood as a dynamic process, subject to continuous updating based on changes in the global epidemiological situation.

In this regard, they highlighted the need to maintain ongoing surveillance and analysis mechanisms to identify and assess, in a timely manner, changes in virus distribution, unusual epidemiological patterns, the emergence of new variants or lineages, and other factors that may alter the risk profile for countries in the Americas.

This monitoring will allow the priorities established for BANVACO to be periodically reviewed in light of the available scientific and epidemiological evidence, helping to ensure that regional reserves remain aligned with the preparedness and response needs of member countries.

Progress in the implementation of BANVACO

The meeting represents another step forward in the implementation of BANVACO, an initiative coordinated by the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA/SPV) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), aimed at strengthening regional health security and countries' capacity to prepare for and respond to emergencies related to foot-and-mouth disease.

The meeting was supported by Bolivia's National Service for Agricultural Health and Food Safety (SENASAG) and the Santa Cruz Cattle Ranchers' Federation (FEGASACRUZ). Their collaboration made it possible to hold the meeting in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and highlighted the importance of coordination between the public and private sectors to protect animal health and the region's livestock resources.

The technical results consolidated during the meeting will now be submitted to the relevant bodies within BANVACO's governance structure and will serve as a basis for upcoming decisions regarding the establishment and maintenance of regional strategic antigen reserves for foot-and-mouth disease.