BTV -international

Following a meeting of SCOFCAH on Tuesday and Wednesday, Depty CVO Alick Simmonds called a teleconference this afternoon to update us on events in Mainland Europe and their implications for us. Among those taking part, with Alick in the Chair, were Simon Hall, Deputy head of AH international Health Division, Nicky Paull and Nick Blayney from BVA, Bob Moore from RCVS, and for the species veterinary Societies, Gareth Hately, cattle, Paul Roger, sheep, and myself.

BTV6 in Holland and Germany, and BTV11 in Belgium.

BTV6 has been found on 22 holdings in Holland, with 23 seropositive animals, and on 23 holdings in Germany, with 45 animals positive. BTV11 has been detected on 14 premises in northern Belgium. Clinical signs have in each case been either non existant, or so mild as not to attract attention at the time. It is now considered certain that the BTV6 episode is the result of use of a South African produced modified Live attenuated vaccine, which would have been illegal. That also probably applies to the BTV11 finding, though investigations, centred at IAH Pirbright, are at an ealier stage.

Extensive surveillance in Belgium and Holland has not led to any evidence of circulating virus. Indeed, although some of the animals were PCR positive, mainly in the case of BTV6, no virus has been isolated from any samples taken. On that basis, It has been agreed that the temporary restriction on exports from Belgium, Holland, and a PZ in Germany, can now be lifted, which means that these countries revert as from now to the same status as the UK, excluding northern Ireland.

Questioning of the wisdom of this decision led to the admission that it could NOT be totally certain that there was NO risk of BTV6 or BTV11 recrudescing next year, but that known experience in similar situtions suggested that any virus from an attenuated strain would die out fairly rapidly. Concerns that lifting export restrictions was premature at present were answered by the fact that surveillance in the three countries involved is to be enhanced, and any finding that may cause doubt in the matter will result in immediate action by whichever country is involved.

We have of course all been concerned about imports from “Danger areas” that are part of the same BTV8 PZ as we are. To put things in perspective, in 2008, Belgium, there wer 13 recorded premises with BTV8, and in Holland 7. There were 2113 infected premises in Germany. I can only put these figures forward as fact. People must make up their own minds as to the possible risk of importing disease into their herds or flocks.

Whichever way you look at it, it appears that live vaccine has been used illegally in Germany, Holland and Belgium, and those “Responsible”, have caused a great deal of difficulty, and no little cost, to their fellow countryman farmers.

FRANCE

French Farmers suffered logistics difficulties in 2008 in that vaccine availability lagged behind disease progression. They have had a torrid time, and a group of French farmers recently visited England to spread the message of just how hard they were hit by BTV in 2008.

It must be recognised that they have a major problem. At the same time it must also be recognised that the French authorities and farming organisations are doing their best to rectify the situation. There is a concerted effort to vaccinate all susceptible animals in France against BTV8. by the end of April. Officially, that is compulsory, but at ground level there appear to be misunderstandings. Currently, France also of course has a major problem with BTV1, mainly in the South West, but also in the Cap Finisterre region of Brittany.

French policy is to vaccinnate the whole country against BTV1 and BTV8 by the end of April. It seems that that will be difficult to achieve, but priority with BTV1 seems to be being given to the current known infected zones, and a buffer zone beyond. It is likely that France will hope to divide the country into 2 zones re BTV1, a PZ, and a “Blue Zone”. That now seems to be officiall terminology, an area where vaccination is allowed, with stringent surveillance conditions, but the Blue zone is NOT part of the PZ, so exports within the EU BTV8 PZ could be allowed without vaccination and blood testing. It would not be possible to achieve this without a lot of expensive surveillance.

A RISK ASSESSMENT excercise is under way to look at potential dangers from BTV1 in France crossing the channel. Animal Health are in touch with manufacturers re possible availability of BTV1 vaccine in case of need. Obviously the first priority MUST be a high level of vaccination in France, but it does seem that vaccine will be available to us, but just when and how much is as yet unclear, and it could be that if BTV1 does arrive in the UK, the overiding factor in policy would be the best use of available vaccine according to where disease flared up.

Continue for Defra policy & surveillance.