Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

Schmallenberg virus confirmed in Scotland

Aly Balsom
Friday 19 April 2013

The first case of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) on a Scottish farm has been confirmed.

Scotland's Rural University College (SRUC) said a deformed calf born into a Dumfriesshire suckler herd had tested positive for the virus.

Last month, eight dairy cows on SRUC's Barony Campus outside Dumfries had tested positive for antibodies to SBV, although there has been no evidence of any calving problems with that herd. The deformed beef calf is the first animal in Scotland to be identified as actually having the disease.

"The report of this recent calving in Dumfriesshire would indicate SBV was spread by midges in the area during last autumn," said Brian Hosie, head of SAC Veterinary Services.

"We would urge farmers to be more alert than ever to potential problems among cattle or sheep and discuss any concerns with their veterinary surgeons."

Farmers Weekly

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (20): NORWAY, BOVINE, FIRST CLINICAL CASE
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[1]
Date: Thu 25 Apr 2013
Source: Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI) [in Norwegian, trans. summarised by communicator, edited]

http://www.vetinst.no/Nyheter/Schmallenbergvirus-paavist-hos-kalv-i-Norge

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) was detected in a bovine foetus with malformations consistent with Schmallenberg disease for the 1st time. The calf was born on 17 Apr 2013.

The calf originated from a beef herd in southern Norway (Aust Agder County) and was submitted by the national Food Safety Authorities for post mortem examination at NVI. SBV was detected in the brain stem of the calf by PCR.

SBV is spread between animals by biting midges (_Culicoides_ spp.) and was detected in these vectors in the southern part of Norway in autumn 2012. Furthermore, serological examinations of bulk milk samples have demonstrated that antibodies against SBV are widespread in dairy cattle in southern Norway. SBV can cause brief illness in ruminants. Animals that are infected early in pregnancy may have stillborn or malformed offspring with severe deformities.

This is the 1st time that SBV has been detected in animals in Norway.

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20130425.1672783

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (21) (RUSSIA) BOVINE, SEROPOSITIVE
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Date: Wed 1 May 2013
Source: Argumenti.RU [in Russian, machine trans., edited]

http://argumenti.ru/society/2013/05/251033

Schmallenberg virus disease detected in cows in the suburbs of Moscow
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The Chief Veterinary Officer of the Moscow Oblast [Region] is taking measures to prevent the spread of the Schmallenberg virus [SBV] disease in Ramensky district. The office has conducted a study of biomaterial collected from cattle to monitor infection by dangerous diseases.

As a result of laboratory tests, 16 serum samples of cattle owned by JSC "Plemzavod Ramenskoe", located in the town of Ramenskoye, have been found to include antibodies against SBV.

The disease caused by SBV affects cattle, sheep, and goats. It was originally recorded in Germany. To date, it is little understood but widely distributed in the European Union.

Studies conducted by the Dutch National Institute for Health and the Environment do not exclude the possibility of human infection with SBV.

------------------------------------

It is not clear if the animals which have been tested and found seropositive for SBV are local or imported animals. This issue, as well as their breed, age, and, if females and pregnant and their month of pregnancy, are points deserving clarification.

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20130506.1695000

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (24): (RUSSIA) BOVINE SEROPOSITIVE
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A ProMED-mail post

Fri 17 May 2013

Source: NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" [in Russian, trans. & summ., Mod.NR, edited]

http://www.niann.ru/?id=432255

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and the Republic of Mari-El website reports that Schmallenberg virus disease has been found in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

According to the site, 240 serum samples were collected from cattle in the Bogorodsky agricultural district in the Nizhny Novgorod region; 27 of the samples had antibodies to the Schmallenberg virus [SBV].

The study was conducted by FGBU, the Federal Centre for Animal Health [FGI-ARRIAH, Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation], in the city of Vladimir. [This is an OIE Collaborating Centre for the Diagnosis and Control of Animal Diseases in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Transcaucasia].

[byline: Irina Serkova]

--

[The Nizhny Novgorod oblast (region) is situated some 350-400 km (218-249 mi) east of Moscow; Vladimir, where the diagnostic federal laboratory is located, is about halfway between them.

Earlier, SBV positive cattle were discovered in the town of Ramenskoye, nearly 50 km (31 mi) south east of Moscow (it can be found on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at http://healthmap.org/r/6LHM).

It is not clear if the animals which have been tested and found seropositive for SBV in both locations are local or imported animals. This issue, as well as their breed, age, and reproduction status (pregnant?) are points deserving clarification in view of SBV's characteristic teratogenic potential.

SBV and its international impact, including issues recently raised by CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries, is expected to be among the topics on the agenda of OIE's 81st General Session, taking place in Paris from Sun 26 May 2013 to Fri 31 May 2013. - Mod.AS

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (29): ROMANIA, BOVINE, POSITIVE SEROLOGY, FIRST REPORT
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Date: Sat 10 Aug 2013
From: Jaroslaw Kaba <jaroslaw_kaba@sggw.pl> [edited]


1st detection of Schmallenberg virus antibodies in Romania
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For the last 2 years, Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has been disseminating in the European ruminant population. At the beginning of 2013, SBV infection was confirmed in Hungary and Slovenia, and in June 2013 antibodies to SBV were detected in the Republic of Serbia.

As no data on the epidemiological situation of SBV in Romania had been so far available, blood samples from cattle and sheep were collected between 18 and 25 Jun 2013 in the north-western part of the country; 184 cattle and 92 sheep samples were serologically tested on 31 Jul 2013 using ID Screen Schmallenberg virus indirect (IDvet Innovative Diagnostics). The tests ware performed in the Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland.

A total of 169 cattle samples [out of 184] and 25 sheep samples [out of 92] (92 and 27 percent, respectively) were seropositive.

This is the 1st report of SBV infection from Romania.

Jaroslaw Kaba, Michal Czopowicz, Lucjan Witkowski
Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland

Marina Spinu, Dan-Alexandru Nagy
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, USAMV, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

--
Communicated by:
Dr Jaroslaw Kaba
Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW
02-776 Warsaw
Poland
<jaroslaw_kaba@sggw.pl>

[ProMED-mail is very grateful to Dr Kaba and his co-authors from Poland and Romania for the firsthand information above.

The same laboratory of the Warsaw University kindly provided, earlier, information on the 1st detection of SBV antibodies in sera of Polish and Serbian cattle. This is a commendable contribution to improved transparency in relation to SBV.

The apparently wide distribution of SBV in European livestock has become a cause for concern for exporters and particularly their clientele in SBV-free importing countries. The novel, teratogenic [causing developmental malfunctions], vector-borne orthobunyavirus SBV, affecting large and small ruminants in Europe, was initially discussed during the 80th General Session of the OIE, May 2012. The issue has been discussed again during the 81st General Session, 26-31 May 2013, in Paris, with recorded SBV-related interventions by the delegates of Russia, Ireland (speaking on behalf of the 27 EU Member States), Israel, Belarus, Somalia and Haiti. The debate included the following summarising statements:

"Dr Thiermann (President of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code Commission) accepted the proposal of the Delegate of Russia for review of the Schmallenberg virus according to the OIE criteria for disease listing.

Dr Vallat, the Director General, supported Dr Thiermann's comments. With respect to the Schmallenberg virus, Dr Vallat noted that the main point of discussion related to the impact of the virus. He informed Member Countries that the questions relating to Schmallenberg virus would be discussed as from September [2013] with a comprehensive review by experts from Europe and other regions."

The epidemiology of SBV was reviewed during the 81st Session by Dr Ben Jebara, head of OIE's information department, as recorded under article 312 of the Proceedings, titled "Emerging disease: Schmallenberg virus". He informed that 9 countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and United Kingdom) reported the presence of SBV by sending an immediate notification through OIE's World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), citing "emerging disease" as the reason for their notifications. Following discussions on the subject at the 80th OIE General Session, it was stated that SBV, which had originally been considered as an emerging disease in Western Europe, no longer fulfilled the criteria for notification in the countries having already notified a great number of outbreaks. Consequently, Member Countries stopped notifying SBV through WAHIS. However, to support the OIE's expressed views on the need for clarification regarding the concept of emerging diseases and their notification requirements, 11 additional countries (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden) informed the OIE, by letter (instead of through WAHIS, as they should have done), of their 1st detection of SBV.

To the said total of 20 SBV-affected European countries, Serbia and now also Romania should be added.

Since SBV is not notifiable, information on its current clinical impact (abortions, AH) remains unclear. - Mod.AS

[Shiloh]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

Source: http://www.farminglife.com/news/test...n-ni-1-5384223



Wednesday 14 August 2013
Tests reveal how Schmallenberg is spreading in NI

Published on 14/08/2013 08:30

Farming Life has been informed that almost 40% of cows tested for the presence of Schmallenberg Virus in the Newtownards area have come up positive.

The surveillance work was carried out by DARD staff on blood samples submitted for Brucellosis testing...

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (30): ROMANIA, BOVINE, NOT
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Date: Thu 22 Aug 2013
From: Jaroslaw Kaba [edited]

10 Aug 2013 Schmallenberg virus, Romania
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Due to technical difficulties experienced lately with the ELISA plate reader, which encountered controversial results in several cases studied in the month of July and August [2013] at the Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland, we consider that all the research results obtained during that period are scientifically invalidated, need to be reconsidered and the samples retested, including those that provided support for the 1st notification of the presence of antibodies against Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in Romania.

http://beta.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20130822.1895891

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS - EUROPE (33): GREECE, BOVINE, CAPRINE, FIRST REPORT
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Date: Thu 19 Sep 2013


Detection of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) reactive antibodies in samples from ruminants in Greece
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In total, 14 bovine, 20 ovine, and 7 caprine blood serum samples, collected from animals in 13 farms in Thessaly and Western Macedonia regions of Greece, were considered to have originated from animals with exposure to SBV.

Samples from cattle had been collected from November 2012 to May 2013 and those from sheep or goats in January to February 2013. The different samples originated from animals with reproductive problems, as diagnosed at the Department of Obstetrics and Reproduction of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Greece.

Initial diagnostic laboratory tests, where antibodies to the virus were detected by using the ID Screen Schmallenberg virus indirect ELISA (IDvet Innovative Diagnostics), had been performed at the Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Greece.

Subsequently, 10 bovine and 2 caprine samples were sent to the Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany, where the results of the initial tests were confirmed by using a serum neutralization test against 100 TCID50 of Schmallenberg virus.

This is the 1st report of widespread exposure of ruminants to SBV in Greece and the 1st report of exposure of goats to SBV in Greece. All animals, in which SBV antibodies were detected, had been born in Greece. This supports the hypothesis that exposure of animals to the virus had taken place in Greece. Detection of viral RNA is needed to finally confirm the presence of SBV in the country.

[George Valiakos, George Fthenakis, Stavros Spanos, Fotini Korbou, Vasiliki Spyrou, Charalambos Billinis
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly,
Karditsa, Greece

Martin Beer, Horst Schirrmeier, Bernd Hoffmann
Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut,
Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany]

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

Veterinary Record doi:10.1136/vr.101983


Transmission of Schmallenberg virus in a housed dairy herd in the UK

This study, as well as previous reports during the recent Bluetongue virus epizootics, reaffirms that housing animals in farm buildings typical of those in the UK during periods of vector activity is not an effective measure against Culicoides-borne arbovirus infections in northern Europe, where the predominant Culicoides species are those of the C obsoletus species complex (Meiswinkel and others 2008, Baylis and others 2010, Viennet and others 2012).

Interestingly, the first case (cow #157) identified at this farm was diagnosed in February 2012. Therefore, cow #157 must have been infected either during the winter, when the outside temperature was never above 10&#176;C, or in the summer/autumn of 2011 before or soon after the discovery of SBV in Germany.

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

First Confirmation of Schmallenberg Virus in Cattle in Spain: Tissue Distribution and Pathology.

Balseiro A, Royo LJ, G?mez Antona A, Garc?a Mar?n JF.

Source
SERIDA, Servicio Regional de Investigaci?n y Desarrollo Agroalimentario, Centro de Biotecnolog?a Animal, Gij?n, Asturias, Spain.

Abstract
Between January and June 2013, nine stillborn bovine foetuses with congenital malformations from nine cattle herds located in Salamanca (central Spain) were detected. Necropsy was performed on two calves. Pathological lesions together with molecular genetics and serological results allowed a definitive diagnosis: first confirmation of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection in cattle in Spain. SBV was detected in different tissues and organic fluids in both animals including blood, suggesting a possible viraemia. The umbilical cord was also positive for the presence of SBV in both animals. The former tissue provides an easy to obtain sample and might be a sample of choice when necropsy is carried out in the field.


PubMed

[Shiloh]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-1...wn-insect.html


Schmallenberg Livestock Virus Came to U.K. From Windblown Insect
By Whitney McFerron - Nov 28, 2013 5:00 AM ET


The Schmallenberg virus that first appeared in U.K. livestock in late 2011 probably was carried by infected midges blown across the English Channel from France and Belgium, according to an Oxford University study...

[Shiloh]

Re: Schmallenberg Virus - News and updates - 2013

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25870565

24 January 2014 Last updated at 01:27 ET
'Rise' in Schmallenberg virus cases in South West

More cattle and sheep have been affected by the Schmallenberg virus in the south-west of England than previously thought, experts from the Duchy College have claimed.

Its researchers said vets had estimated nearly 60% of dairy herds and 42% of sheep had been affected.

But last July, a survey of more than 3,000 cattle and 2,000 sheep has shown 80% and 70% have tested positive...