Chinese Studies - UK detects 1st case of Bluetongue

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UK detects 1st case of Bluetongue

Updated: 2007-09-24 07:04

Britain's crisis-hit farming industry waited anxiously yesterday as
government scientists carried out more tests at a farm in eastern England
to see if Britain's first known case of Bluetongue virus was part of a
larger outbreak.

Already hurt by temporary restrictions that had been put in place after
the discovery of foot-and-mouth disease in August, farmers face new
uncertainty over the insect-borne Bluetongue virus, which affects cows
and other ruminant animals.

One infected cow was found at a farm near Ipswich, 110 km northeast of
London, authorities announced on Saturday.

"This is not a confirmed outbreak unless further investigation
demonstrates that disease is circulating, and this could take days or
weeks to assess," the government Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs said in a statement yesterday.

There are no immediate plans for movement restrictions.

"We are testing midges (insects) in the area to find out if they are
carrying the disease and once those tests have been complete we will then
address the question of movement restrictions," said a department
spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department
policy.

Six cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed on farms in
southern England since August 3, and about 1,800 animals have been
slaughtered since the outbreak began.

Bluetongue is not harmful to humans, but can be fatal for ruminant
animals, especially sheep.

It is transmitted by certain species of midges once common only in
Mediterranean areas. Experts say the insect has moved farther north due
to global warming, and bluetongue may now be endemic in northern Europe.

Officials said the strain of Bluetongue detected in the British cow is
the same type as that found in Belgium, France Germany, Luxembourg and
Netherlands since August 2006.

Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Fred Landeg told Sky News on Saturday
that tests would be conducted to determine whether midges were spreading
the virus through the animal population.

If the virus is circulating, the government will put restrictions on the
movement of animals within a 20-km radius control zone around the farm,
Landeg said.

The disease has recently been found in the Netherlands after moving north
from Belgium and west from Germany.

"We knew that there was the possibility that infected midges could
possibly be blown across the sea," Landeg said.

Britain's environment agency said the infected cow would be slaughtered.

Agencies

(China Daily 09/24/2007 page6)

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