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Published Date: 2012-10-17 17:21:14
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Schmallenberg virus - Europe (66): Finland (AX) 1st case, Scotland ex England
Archive Number: 20121017.1349090

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (66): FINLAND (ALAND), FIRST POSITIVE SEROLOGY, SCOTLAND ex ENGLAND
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In this update:
[1] Finland 1st serologically positive case (Aland islands)
[2] Scotland ex England (Shropshire)

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[1] Finland 1st serologically positive case (Aland islands)
Date: Wed 17 Oct 2012
From: Rikula Ulla <Ulla.Rikula@evira.fi> [edited]

Serological testing of 583 sera from suckler cow herds in southwestern Finland and Aland has detected 2 animals with antibodies against Schmallenberg virus (SBV).

The 2 animals are from the same herd, located in Aland (an island in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland). Samples were taken at the end of September 2012 in routine surveillance at the slaughter house. The herd contains no imported cattle. No signs have been reported.

Finland will test all samples from slaughtered animals originating from suckler cow herds located on the southwestern coast of Finland and Aland for SBV antibodies. The serological surveillance is ongoing and more information on the seroprevalence of SBV in the country will be expected.

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Ulla Rikula
Senior Researcher
Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira
Veterinary Virology
<Ulla.Rikula@evira.fi>

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[2] Scotland ex England (Shropshire)
Date: Wed 17 Oct 2012
Source: The Scottish Farmer via Flutrackers [edited]
http://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/schmallenberg-found-in-scotland.19177540 and http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=471601#post471601

Schmallenberg has been found in northern Scotland after a tup [a ram] brought in from Shropshire tested positive for the disease.

Following this announcement, NFUS [National Farmers Union Scotland] is advising livestock keepers to be vigilant for the disease.

SRUC [Scotland's Rural College] will test contact animals, although given the recent cold weather, it is unlikely that the disease will have become established in the area.

It is just over a week since Defra reported positive SBV samples on farms in North Yorkshire and Northumberland, prompting NFUS to advise Scottish livestock producers importing stock from SBV-risk areas to take up NFUS, the Scottish Government and SRUCs' scheme to screen animals for the virus.

NFUS President, Borders livestock farmer and vet Nigel Miller said: "The tup's owner is to be commended for conducting the test, and the event underlines the need for all livestock farmers importing stock from SBV-risk areas to test animals for the disease. There is no structured sentinel surveillance in northern England or Scotland, and it is, therefore, possible that the disease is already circulating in the south of Scotland. As midges and other vectors are likely to be active for at least another 3 weeks, we are advising all our members to speak to their vet if they are concerned about their livestock. A vaccine is being developed, which must undergo trials to demonstrate its safety. The vaccine may be available next year [2013], which is when it would be most useful in Scotland. Luckily, it appears that livestock develop immunity to Schmallenberg relatively quickly."

Brian Hosie, Group Manager SAC Consulting Veterinary Services, a Division of SRUC, Scotland's Rural College, said: "This shows the importance and value of post-movement testing, and farmers should take advantage of the NFUS-supported testing scheme. I would also commend the farmer for his responsible approach in making the proper checks; we cannot afford to drop our guard against the threat of disease."

[Byline: Alison Mann]

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Communicated by:
Gert van der Hoek
Senior Moderator
FluTrackers

[Dr Rikula's firsthand information on positive SBV serology in Finland is gratefully acknowledged. Finland's EVIRA active surveillance is exemplary; it will be interesting to note whether other European countries, so far apparently not infected, apply similar SBV surveillance activities.

In contrast with Finland, where the positive serology was detected in 2 local animals, probably infected by wind-borne _Culicoides_, the reported case in Scotland related to an animal moved from elsewhere in England (Shropshire). The 1st locally infected Scottish case is yet to be discovered.

Aland islands, an archipelago in the Baltic sea between mainland Finland and Sweden, is an autonomous, Swedish speaking region of Finland; its administration is exercised by a local governmental body. See maps at http://tinyurl.com/buw4dgb and http://healthmap.org/r/3JKm.

The current list of European countries known to have been infected by the emerging Schmallenberg virus since its initial discovery in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium in the summer/fall of 2011 includes, at present, 14 countries: Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg, UK, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Poland and Finland. Active surveillance, if applied, may add other countries to the list.

A recent review (ref. 1) included the following noteworthy observations:

"SBV emerged in the same regions in 2011 as did BTV-8, BTV-6, and BTV-11 a couple of years ago. It thus seems that there is an unidentified "open door" for exotic vector-transmitted diseases in middle Europe. The affected region has some unique features which may be of influence in this context:
(i) several international airports, such as, Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne, and harbours such as in Rotterdam;
(ii) a high human population density with the importation of large amounts of fresh goods, fruits, vegetables, and flowers from throughout the world every day;
(iii) a high density of cattle and sheep, which represent a perfect target for exotic infectious diseases of ruminants; and finally
(iv) domestic populations of _Culicoides_ spp., which are competent for BTV, SBV, and probably several other diseases transmitted by biting midges, like epizootic haemorrhagic disease or African horse sickness virus.

"In conclusion, further introductions of vector borne diseases must be expected in this region. Jones and co-workers demonstrated that emerging infectious diseases are significantly correlated with environmental, socioeconomic, and ecological factors and defined so-called hot-spots for the introduction of infectious diseases into a new region. This type of study can be the basis for identifying regions where new infectious diseases might emerge. Therefore, the combination of high densities of people and animals with high-frequency imports make northwest Europe a possible hot-spot for the introduction of emerging infectious diseases. This should be taken into account when future surveillance, screening, and sentinel programmes are planned. Fortunately, neither BTV nor SBV are zoonotic pathogens. However, related viruses like Oropouche virus or other vector-transmitted viruses like Rift Valley fever virus might also be introduced and use the advantageous conditions described above, which allow the fast and efficient spread of zoonotic agents."

Some links for additional information on SBV:
http://tinyurl.com/c66dsz2,
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/schmallenberg_virus/index_en.htm,
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/schmallenberg-virus/,
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177873&page=9,
and
http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Our_scientific_expertise/docs/pdf/A_Schmallenberg_virus.pdf

Reference
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1. Beer M, Conraths FJ, Van Der Poel WH: 'Schmallenberg virus' - a novel orthobunyavirus emerging in Europe. Epidemiol Infect. 2012 Oct 10: 1-8. FirstView Article; abstract available at http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0950268812002245. For the references, see the full paper (subscription required). - Mod.AS]

See Also