Routes of transmission and consequences of small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) infection and eradication schemes.
Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV = maedi-visna in sheep and caprine arthritis encephalitis in goats) are distributed throughout most countries of the world, particularly Europe. Laboratories from 16 European countries established collaborations within the framework of a COST (CO-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) action sponsored by the European Union in order to (i) better organize their research programmes on SRLVs and (ii) to coordinate efforts to combat these two diseases. After five years, a consensus conference--the first one in the veterinary medicine field--concluded the work of this network of laboratories by reviewing the present position and discussing three important questions in the field of SRLVs: routes of transmission, consequences of infection and potential role of eradication programmes at either a European or local level, according to the situation in each country or region. This paper brings together existing information regarding these questions and identifies areas for future research.
Peterhans
Ernst
E
Institute of Veterinary Virology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Greenland
Tim
T
Badiola
Juan
J
Harkiss
Gordon
G
Bertoni
Giuseppe
G
Amorena
Beatriz
B
Eliaszewicz
Muriel
M
Juste
Ramon A
RA
Krassnig
Renate
R
Lafont
Jean-Pierre
JP
Lenihan
Patrick
P
Pétursson
Gudmundur
G
Pritchard
Geoff
G
Thorley
John
J
Vitu
Christian
C
Mornex
Jean-François
JF
Pépin
Michel
M
D000818:Animals; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006041:Goats; D015994:Incidence; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary*; D008892:Milk / Q000821:virology; D012418:Ruminants; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology