Animal and animal product importation and the assessment of risk from bluetongue and other ruminant orbiviruses.
Agriculture is an important component in the national economy of the United Kingdom and incursion of exotic disease would have severe effects on the United Kingdom domestic economy, causing both direct and indirect losses. The literature on bluetongue and other ruminant orbiviruses is reviewed in order to assess the risk of importing animal and animal products from countries with endemic infection. The literature is confusing, contradictory and incomplete and so cannot be used as a basis for designing practical import regulations with any certainty of eliminating risk. Contemporary methods used to prevent accidental introduction of bluetongue virus to uninfected areas, namely serological and virus isolation techniques, are not infallible. The phenomena of fetal infection, semen transmission and low or absent serological response in some cases mean that great vigilance is necessary.
Central Veterinary Laboratory, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey.
D H
DH
Roberts
M H
MH
Lucas
R A
RA
Bell
D000818:Animals; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000635:transmission*; D002417:Cattle; D003132:Commerce; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012088:Reoviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary; D012306:Risk; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology; D012756:Sheep; D006113:United Kingdom