THE GOAT VETERINARY SOCIETY |
||||
 |
||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Other Transmission Mechanisms
Chris Oura from Pirbright, spoke on mechanisms of transmission, including trans-placental transmission. One of his points was the importing of animals from areas still heavily infected with BTV. His advice is that:
o animals should have been vaccinated, with the vaccination having been completed at least 60 days before the imports are made, AND, just as important,
o vaccination of any pregnant animals should have been completed, at least 3 weeks before service. This was particularly important in summer weather when virus replication could overtake the wait for tests.
The new rules introduced by DEFRA are that when animals are imported to the UK, they should have a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival, and another 7 days later to pick up possible cases incubating the disease at the time of test one. There has been a written commons answer on Wednesday to a question by Baroness Byford as to whether the government proposed to ban imports of ruminants from the EU PZ. Lord Davies of Oldhamreplied on behalf of DEFRA that the risk from importing livestock from other EU states was very low, and there had been no import positives since December 2008.
What a surprise! This virus is seasonal M’lud.
He went on to say that “We have a robust post import testing regime”. Chris, on being asked if the current import policy was sufficient, pointed out that there was still time for midges to bite infected animals before they were blood tested, and before either result became available. That was not entirely to denigrate the dual PCR testing, but in fairness to point out that since that policy came in in March, things have moved on. I have revised my personal thinking, whereas at the time I thought the policy WAS a good oneI now think what is needed is a combination of that policy and the vaccination regime Chris thinks should be in place.
Vaccination Transmission Transplacental Eradication Current situation