From May 22nd to 24th in Aranda del Duero. Victor Rodríguez Prieto from SUAT group talk about "Emerging diseases in ovine: blue tongue  & Schmallenberg virus".

Program of meeting

 

José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno & Lina Mur have participated to the Regional Training Course on "Early and Rapid Nuclear and Nuclear-Related Diagnostic and Tracing Technologies for African and Classic Swine Fever". From 21st to 25th of May of 2012 in Seibersdorf, Austria thar was hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Many countries participated: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Tajikistan, Republic of Macedonia and Turkey.

African Horse Sickness (AHS) has been included in the list of diseases eligible for Official recognition of disease status by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).At the 80th General Session of the Assembly of OIE Delegates (20-25 May 2012) has approved the inclusion of the AHS in the procedure for the official recognition of disease status. The official recognition by the OIE of the AHS free status of Member Countries is of great importance to international trade, improving transparency in terms of animal health. In addition, this recognition is one of the most important legal links between the OIE and World Trade Organization (WTO).

The procedures for granting or modify the official status of a country are handled in an objective and transparent manner, in accordance with Standard Operating Procedure of the OIE.

More information about the procedures  

Alumudena Sánchez Matamoros & José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
SUAT-UCM

 

Section of African Horse Sickness (AHS)

    The infection with the Schmallenberg virus (SBV)continues its spread in Europe. From the description of the first cases of congenital malformations (mainly by the arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly syndrome) in December 2011, more than 3,200 farms have declared outbreaks of SBV infection in eight EU countries: Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, France, Luxembourg, Italy and Spain. However, according to official sources in each country, we know that there are almost 4,000 affected farms in just 6 months (Figure 1).

 

Fig. 1 (click to enlarge): Number of outbreaks of Schmallenberg in the eight EU countries affected to 11 May 2012. Data are shown notifications agencies of each country against the official statements of the OIE.

Of the total number of affected animals, sheep are the most affected (80.1%), followed by cattle (17.2%). Infection in goats seems to have been milder than in the other two species. As for the case of cattle, it is likely that outbreaks continue to appear until June 2012, transmission of the virus by the vectors occurred even until January of this year.

This situation is feasible given the uncommon weather conditions during the fall and winter of 2011, making possible the survival of the vectors until very late months. In turn, we must bear in mind that the drop of outbreaks in cattle may coincide with the start of the second wave of outbreaks, since there will be a sufficient number of vectors to start the transmission. Up to now  we do not know the consequences of this second epidemic wave, but everything indicates that this disease is much milder than other vector-borne diseases, such as bluetongue.

 

Víctor Rodríguez Prieto & José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
SUAT-UCM

We release two new sections about emerging diseases: Bluetongue and  African Horse Sickness. Adding to those dedicated to West Nile, the African Swine Fever  and the Schmallenberg virus. Also will be updated periodically.