Veterinary experts have warned that Schmallenberg Virus, a newly discovered disease which has caused consternation in Northern Europe’s livestock industry, could spread into surrounding, previously unaffected areas with the next birthing season.

The disease was identified in Germany late last year and has since been confirmed on over 2,600 farms across Europe. It causes flu-like symptoms in cattle at the time of infection, but is undetectable in sheep, however, if pregnant animals are infected the disease can cause still birth, spontaneous abortion and congenital abnormalities in foetuses, including brain deformities, twisted spines and locked joints.

SBV is spread by midges like other diseases in its family such as Akabane and Bluetongue. It is believed that winds spread infected midges across the eight member states where disease has been detected in autumn last year. There have been confirmed cases in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Northern Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.  

According to figures from the AHVLA, there have been 245 confirmed cases of the virus in England, where the disease is affecting counties in the South and the Midlands, in line with models for midge incursion last year.

Across Europe, reports of the virus on sheep farms have fallen as lambs in the ‘at risk’ window (when pregnant sheep would have been infected at a critical time of pregnancy) have mostly been born. As cattle have a longer gestation period, the number of reported cases in cattle is expected to rise in relation to cases in sheep. The two new cases reported by AHVLA over the weekend are both in cattle.

Scientists from the European Commission this week expressed concern that, as Schmallenberg disease is similar to Akabane, which has affected Asia and Australia since the 1970s, areas on the margins of infected zones could see cases next year. As with Akabane, it appears that once infected animals develop immunity, meaning the disease may not be a problem for currently infected regions next season. However, due to the novelty of the disease, scientists have said it remains too early to tell what next year will bring.

EU Scientists warned that, if the disease still exists within the midge population, it could spread to previously unaffected areas. AHVLA scientists have said that SBV may have been spread further within the UK last autumn by domestic midges exposed by biting livestock infected by insects from mainland Europe.

Concern over the disease has resulted in a ban on EU imports from several countries, including India, Mexico and Russia. The Russian ban also applies to pigs, and has had the largest effect on pig producers in the EU, despite the fact that pigs are not known to be affected by the disease.  

Tweet