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Published Date: 2012-02-18 16:13:24
Subject: PRO/AH> Schmallenberg virus - Europe (19): update, RFI
Archive Number: 20120218.1045818

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (19): UPDATE, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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In this update:
[1] Update UK, 17 Feb 2012
[2] Update Germany, 17 Feb 2012
[3] Italy - 1st case suspected, RFI
[4] France update, 16 Feb 2012

[1] Update UK, 17 Feb 2012
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012
Source: Farmers Guardian [edited]
http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/livestock/schmallenberg-virus-discovered-in-cornwall/44971.article

Schmallenberg Virus discovered in Cornwall
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Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has been identified in south west England for the first time. The discovery of SBV on a sheep farm in Cornwall reflects concern among government vets that the virus could have infected animals across the south west region, and possibly South Wales, last autumn.

It has recently emerged that much of France was infected last year, including areas close to the Channel, opening up the possibility that infected midges crossed over to south west England in late October.

Previously, all confirmed cases of the virus that can cause stillbirths and horrific deformities in lambs and calves, had been confirmed to south east England. This was consistent with the theory that infection had come exclusively from midges blown over from northern Europe last autumn. That scenario has now been blown out of the water.

The latest figures from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) show that 52 cases have been confirmed across England.

Confirmed cases have been found in Norfolk [total affected premises, 13], Suffolk [11], Essex [2], Kent [10], East Sussex [8], West Sussex [4], Hertfordshire [1], Surrey [1], Hampshire [1] and, now, Cornwall [1]. [Total 52, including 49 sheep and 3 cattle premises].

"Due to the increase in reports of SBV identified in France [see map below], the areas at comparatively higher risk in the UK have been revised in line with the plume modeling data from the summer which models areas at risk of midge incursion from northern Europe," AHVLA said.

"These areas include Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and therefore an increase in risk for South Wales. The timing of the most dense plumes would have been in late October [2011] for this south west region. This is therefore in line with the appearance of deformities in lambs being born now, assuming the highest risk period for lambs is if the mother is infected at approximately one month into gestation."

The majority of the British cases of SBV infection have been diagnosed in sheep to date but 2 more cases have been found in cattle.

DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and AHVLA have recently been flagging up the possibility that current infection levels in Britain could be more widespread than initially thought.

During a live Farmers Guardian internet discussion last Friday, DEFRA's deputy chief veterinary officer Alick Simmons said: "The disease has been found in a number across the south east and the cases are quite widely spread and it is quite possible that there are cases which have gone unnoticed and that there is more to come, simply because lambing and calving has not yet started on exposed farms."

[byline: Alistair Driver]

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[DEFRA has published the following complementary statement on 17 Feb 2012:
"Due to the increase in reports of SBV identified in France, the areas at comparatively higher risk in the UK have been revised in line with the plume modeling data from the summer which models areas at risk of midge incursion from northern Europe. These areas include Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and therefore an increase in risk for South Wales. The timing of the most dense plumes would have been in late October [2011] for this south west region. This is therefore in line with the appearance of deformities in lambs being born now, assuming the highest risk period for lambs is if the mother is infected at approximately one month into gestation". For the full press release and data on each region, see http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla/2012/02/17/schmallenberg-virus-further-updates-on-gb-testing-results/.

Should it appear than cattle are susceptible to SBV similarly to sheep, then CNS-affected calves might be expected to be born, in the named UK territories, 5-7 months post-infection, namely mainly during April. This is later than on the continent, where circulation of the virus is assumed to have started earlier. - Mod.AS].

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[2] Update Germany, 17 Feb 2012
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012
Source: FLI web-site [edited]
http://www.fli.bund.de/en/startseite/current-news/animal-disease-situation/new-orthobunyavirus-detected-in-cattle-in-germany.html

Current information on Schmallenberg virus [Germany]
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In Germany animals from 607 holdings have tested positive for Schmallenberg virus [SBV] so far.

The cases occurred in 23 cattle holdings, 558 sheep holdings and 26 goat holdings. Affected federal states are North Rhine-Westphalia (12 cattle, 210 sheep, 9 goat holdings), Lower Saxony (4 cattle, 83 sheep, 3 goat holdings), Hesse (67 sheep holdings, 4 goat holdings), Schleswig-Holstein (2 cattle, 71 sheep holdings), Rhineland-Palatinate (1 Bison, 2 cattle, 29 sheep, 3 goat holdings), Baden-Wuerttemberg (1 cattle, 8 sheep, 4 goat holdings), Brandenburg (13 sheep holdings), Thuringia (21 sheep holdings, 1 goat holding), Saxony-Anhalt (16 sheep holdings), Hamburg (1 cattle, 4 sheep holdings), Bavaria (12 sheep holdings), Saxony (17 sheep holdings), Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (4 sheep, 1 goat holding), Saarland (2 sheep holdings, 1 goat holding) and Berlin (1 sheep holding).

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[The 23 cattle holdings in the list include the holdings which were reportedly clinically affected by SBV in the summer/fall of 2011 (short-lived temperature elevation, milk production drop, and inappetence, in adult animals). It would be interesting to note if any of those farms have suffered subsequent fertility problems (abortions, fetal absorbtion) or congenital malformations.

An SBV map of Germany, updated 17 Feb 2012, is available at http://www.fli.bund.de/fileadmin/dam_uploads/tierseuchen/Schmallenberg_Virus/Karten/Map_Schmallenberg_20120217.jpg. - Mod.AS]

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[3] Italy 1st case suspected, RFI
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012
Source: Nouvel Observateur [French, transl, summ., edited].
http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/societe/20120217.OBS1692/info-obs-virus-de-schmallenberg-un-premier-cas-en-italie.html

Schmallenberg virus: a first case in Italy
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A 1st case of SBV was identified in a goat in Italy, it was told to the "Nouvel Observateur" by the Ministry of Agriculture.

"We are extremely surprised at how the epidemic spreads," says http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/societe/20120217.OBS1692/info-obs-virus-de-schmallenberg-un-premier-cas-en-italie.html, director of animal health at the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA). The distance of its spread in 5 months seems to be similar to the distance it took the bluetongue virus in sheep [similarly vectorborne. - Mod.AS] during 2 years, between 2006 and 2008."

This velocity leads researchers to wonder if the virus is not already in its 2nd running year, being present but unnoticed during last year.

[byline: Morgane Bertrand]

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Sabine Zentis
Castleview Pedigree English Longhorns
Gut Laach
52385 Nideggen
Germany

[No other source has, so far, confirmed the presence of SBV in Italy. Confirmation or otherwise would be appreciated. - Mod.AS]

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[4] France update, 16 Feb 2012
Date: 17 Feb 2012
Source: French Ministery of Agriculture - Animal Diseases - News [transl, summ., edited]
http://agriculture.gouv.fr/maladies-animales,11003

SBV - update 16 Feb 2012
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The presence of SBV has just been confirmed in 55 new sheep holdings and 3 cattle holdings.

In total, 152 farms are known, so far, as affected by the emerging virus in the following 25 departments: 02, 08, 10, 14, 16, 21, 27, 36, 50, 51, 52, 54 , 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 67, 70, 76, 80, 86, 87, 88.

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[France's departments, with numbers, are shown in the map at http://www.cartesfrance.fr/carte-france-departement/carte-france-departements.html. A French SBV map, updated 16 Feb 2012, is available at http://www.survepi.org/cerepi/images/documents/2012_02_16_france_carte.pdf.

The SBV situation in Europe is just beginning to unfold. Many questions are still remaining, some of them expected to be addressed by the research undertaken (see EFSA's technical report, item 4 in 20120211.1038921).

The total number of SBV-affected animal holdings in the 5 affected countries, as of 17 Feb 2012, is 1041 of which 966 sheep farms. 44 cattle farms and 31 goat farms.
The distribution among the countries is as follows:

Country /last update/total affected holdings/sheep/cattle/goats
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Germany / 17 Feb / 607 / 558 / 23 / 26
France / 16 Feb / 152 / 149 / 3 / 0
Belgium / 17 Feb / 127 / 116 / 10 / 1
Netherlands / 17 Feb / 103 / 945 / 4
UK / 17 Feb / 52 / 49 / 3 / 0

Since no information on the number of abortions, fetal death and congenitally malformed neonatals per farm is currently available, no estimation of the SBV losses is possible at present. The appearance and number of CNS-affected calves 6-7 months post-infection, or (hopefully, and in contrast with the Akabane experience) their absence, will be a decisive component in the economical assessment of the SBV epizootic.

One of the most urgent issues is determining the final, definitive zoonotic status of SBV. The Dutch National Institute for Health and Environment (RIVM) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) concluded in Dec 2011 that transmission of the virus to humans "cannot be excluded but is very unlikely" (see postings 20111221.3645 and 20111231.3713). Since, as indicated in OIE's technical factsheet (see 20120217.1045067), serological tests have become available (though not yet ELISA), early sero-testing of those potentially exposed to infection is anticipated. - Mod.AS]

See Also