2007 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak

2007 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak

location map|United Kingdom
label=
position=center
width=200
lat= 51.424825
long= -0.545774
caption= DEFRA Protection Order centre point.
float=

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom was confirmed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), on 3 August 2007, in the parish of Normandy, Surrey. [cite news
url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0803.htm
title=Foot and Mouth Disease confirmed in cattle, in Surrey
publisher=DEFRA
date=2007-08-03
accessdate = 2007-08-03
] [cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6931395.stm
title= Further farms tested for disease
publisher=BBC News
date=2007-08-04
accessdate = 2007-08-04
] The outbreak was centred on a field being used for beef fattening rented by Derrick and Roger Pride. [cite news
url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2141902,00.html
title= How the dark shadow of disease fell across Surrey
author = David Smith
publisher=The Observer
date=2007-08-05
accessdate = 2007-08-07
] [cite news
url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/05/nfandm205.xml
title= Farm at centre of foot and mouth is 'well-run'
author = Adam Lusher and Andrew Alderson
publisher=The Daily Telegraph
date=2007-08-07
accessdate = 2007-08-07
]

Background

The previous confirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom was in the spring and summer of 2001; it caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. The epizootic saw 2,000 cases of the disease in farms in most of the British countryside. There was foot-and-mouth disease scare during January 2007 in Northern Ireland but it is not thought to be related to the latest outbreak. [cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6245549.stm
title=Pigs are clear of foot-and-mouth
publisher=BBC News
date=2007-01-09
accessdate = 2007-08-04
]

First outbreak


thumb|right|250px">
The field in which the infected cattle were grazing immediately before testing positive for foot-and-mouth disease.cite web
url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/kvetina_marie/1005184766/
title=Flickr
accessdate=2007-08-06
] Symptoms were first reported late on 2 August 2007 on farmland located in Normandy in Surrey, which was subsequently isolated and placed under restrictions. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/pdf/declaration-pz-sz-rz-070803.pdf "Declaration of a protection zone, surveillance zone and restricted zone"] (PDF). DEFRA. Dated 3 August 2007 ] The following day the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Debby Reynolds confirmed that initial testing revealed that 60 cattle were infected with foot-and-mouth disease and cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6930684.stm
title=Farm infected with foot-and-mouth
publisher=BBC News
date=2007-08-03
accessdate = 2007-08-03
] [cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_enl_1186178860/img/1.jpg
title=Map of Isolation zones(Image)
publisher=BBC News|date=2007-08-03
accessdate = 2007-08-04
] that other potential cases were being investigated.cite news
url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/04/ndefra1104.xml
title= Foot and mouth: new possible cases reported
author=Miles Goslett
publisher=The Daily Telegraph
date=2007-08-03
accessdate = 2007-08-04
]

On the 4 August the virus was identified as the FMDV BFS 1860 O1 1967 (Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus, British Field Strain 1860, serotype O, subtype 1, isolated in 1967; also referred to as strain BFS 1860/UK/67cite journal
author=Carrillo C, Tulman ER, Delhon G, Lu Z, Carreno A, Vagnozzi A, Kutish GF, Rock DL
title=Comparative genomics of foot-and-mouth disease virus
journal=J. Virol.
volume=79
issue=10
pages=6487–6504
year=2005
pmid=15858032
doi=10.1128/JVI.79.10.6487-6504.2005
] ), a virus isolated in the 1967 outbreak and until the 2007 outbreak, not in circulation in animals. [cite news
url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070804a.htm
title=Results of Foot and Mouth Disease Strain in Surrey, extension of zones
publisher=DEFRA
date=2007-08-04
accessdate = 2007-08-04
] It was the same strain as used at the nearby Pirbright laboratory site, which houses separate units of the Institute for Animal Health and Merial Animal Health Ltd at Pirbright, 2½ miles (4 km) away, which was identified as a possible source of infection, as it is one of only four European laboratories authorised to handle that strain of the virus to produce vaccines, the next nearest being in Belgium. [ [http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/pdf/fmd-epireport090807.pdf "Foot and Mouth Disease Summary Epidemiological Report"] – DEFRA Dated 9 August 2007] cite web
url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:217:0029:01:EN:HTML"EU
title=Council Directive 2006/552/EC concerning laboratories to handle FMD virus"
] cite news
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6931639.stm
title=Foot-and-mouth strain identified
publisher=BBC News
date=2007-08-04
accessdate = 2007-08-04
] As a result the isolation zone was extended.
DEFRA – [http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/pdf/declaration-pz-sz-rz-070804.pdf "Declaration amending the declaration of a protection zone, surveillance zone and restricted zone made at 21:30 on 3rd August 2007"] ]

The laboratory carries out research into foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) as well as other diseases affecting livestock. [cite web
url=http://www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk/info/labs.HTM#pirbright
title=www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk/info/labs.HTM#pirbright
]

On 5 August another protection zone was created near Elstead after a cow at one of the two other locations used by the farm tested positive. The herd at both locations had already been slaughtered the previous day as a standard precautionary measure. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070805a.htm "Additional Foot and Mouth Disease test results in Surrey"] . DEFRA. Dated 5 August 2007 14:20]

On 6 August another herd within one of the protection zones showing symptoms of FMD was slaughtered on suspicion. Samples underwent analysis [http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070806b.htm "Declaration Further case of Foot and Mouth Disease suspected in Protection Zone"] . DEFRA. Dated 6 August 2007 21:20] and on 7 August FMD was confirmed on a farm in Surrey within the protection zone. The cows were on land owned by farmer Lawrence Matthews who rented grazing to a neighbouring producer. [http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/08/07/105754/second-foot-and-mouth-outbreak-confirmed.html "Second case of FMD confirmed in Surrey"] . Farmers Weekly. Dated 7 August 2007 10:20]

On 7 August the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) issued a report - "Initial report on potential breaches to biosecurity at the Pirbright site, 2007" [http://www.hse.gov.uk/news/archive/07aug/pirbright.htm Initial report on potential breaches to biosecurity at the Pirbright site, 2007] – HSE] which contained the following comments –

:"Subject to the ongoing work detailed above, the indications are that there is a strong probability that the FMDV strain involved in the farm outbreak originated from the IAH or the Merial sites."

:"We are further exploring the meteorological data, but at this stage, we consider there to be a negligible combined likelihood that there was an airborne release from the IAH or the Merial sites which was subsequently transferred to the first affected farm between the 14 and 25 July 2007."

:"Waterborne release onto the site remains a possibility. But preliminary investigations into the possibility of whether surface water from flooding from the site could have reached and contaminated the affected farm have indicated that this was negligible due to the distance, topography and direction of flow. These issues are being investigated further."

:"Release by human movement must also be considered a real possibility. Further investigation of the above issues is required and is being urgently pursued."

The Pirbright site has been the source of foot and mouth outbreaks before - in 1970 the virus escaped from the experimental area into a holding pen elsewhere on the site. 18 animals had to be destroyed. [ [http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/environment/the+70s+pirbright+virus+leak/658857 The 1970s Pirbright outbreak] . Channel 4 News. Dated 7 August 2007]

On 9 August, a farmer who let the land at the site of the second outbreak reported some cows on his own farm to DEFRA as a precautionary measure. A 3km Temporary Control Zone was established, [http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/pdf/declaration-tcz-070809.pdf "Declaration of a Temporary Control Zone"] (PDF). DEFRA. Dated 9 August 2007 21:15] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6939717.stm New foot-and-mouth case suspected] . BBC News. Dated 10 August 2007] and then removed, [http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/pdf/tcz-revocation110807.pdf "Revocation of declaration of a temporary control zone"] (PDF). DEFRA. Dated 11 August 2007 11:30] on August 11 when negative test results were returned.

Three further potential outbreaks were investigated during August, at a farm elsewhere in Surrey; at the Chessington World of Adventures zoo; and at a farm near Romney in Kent. All three tested negative for foot and mouth.

On 24 August, following a lack of further outbreaks since the initial discovery, Defra lifted the protection zones around the farms . [ The Times Sat 24 August 2007 Page 4. Also [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2321336.ece] ]

On 8 September the surveillance zone was removed. A 5km radius Biosecurity Area remains in place around the Pirbright laboratories. [Defra 2007-09-08]

Second outbreak

On 12 September a new case of foot and mouth was found 30 miles from the original case at Milton Park Farm in Egham, Surrey. [http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/pdf/declaration-tcz120907-2.pdf "Declaration of a temporary control zone"] (PDF). DEFRA. Dated 12 September 2007 ] [cite news
url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070912b.htm
title=Foot and Mouth Disease confirmed in Surrey
publisher=DEFRA
date=2007-09-12
accessdate = 2007-09-12
] A 3km radius Protection Zone and a 10km radius Surveillance Zone have been established around the farm.

A sick sheep found earlier during the day in Scotland at a Lanarkshire market was later found to be negative. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6991119.stm]

Separately, a Temporary Control Zone was put around a premises in Norfolk as a precautionary measure following a veterinary visit. [cite news
url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/070912c.htm
title=Foot and Mouth Disease confirmed in Surrey
publisher=DEFRA
date=2007-09-12
accessdate = 2007-09-12
] Laboratory results for these animals were also negative and so the local restrictions were lifted the next evening. [cite news
url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0912.htm
title=Foot and Mouth Disease confirmed in Surrey:Update: 21:50, 13 September
publisher=DEFRA
date=2007-09-13
accessdate = 2007-09-14
]

Precautions

All livestock at the 3 geographically separate locations were destroyed on 4 August. A nationwide ban on the movement of cattle and pigs has been imposed, with a 3 km (1.9 mile) protection zone currently in place around the affected farm and a further 10 km (6.2 mile) zone of cattle surveillance. An 8 km (5 mile) aerial exclusion zone has been set up around the site. [cite news
url=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/78798.php
work
title=Everything In Our Power To Eradicate Foot-and-mouth, Says Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
publisher=Medical News Today
date=2007-08-04
accessdate = 2007-08-05
]

Reaction

International reaction

Following the confirmation of the outbreak, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have closed all of their ports to livestock, fresh meat and non-pasteurised milk imports, and have ordered disinfectant measures to be put in place at ports and airports all over the island. [cite news
url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhcwkfsnsnql/rss2/
title=All-island response to foot-and-mouth threat
publisher=BreakingNews.ie
date=2007-08-04
accessdate = 2007-08-04
] [cite news|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhcwcwauojsn/rss2/|title=Disinfectant measures ordered at ports and airports|publisher=BreakingNews.ie|date=2007-08-04|accessdate = 2007-08-04] Additionally, Canada has blocked the entry of any livestock from the United Kingdom (including, for the moment, Northern Ireland) into the country, and Japan and the United States have blocked the entry of pigs and pig products. British beef is already banned in both of these countries. [cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070804.wfootandmouth0804/BNStory/Front|title=British livestock exports banned|publisher=theglobeandmail.com|date=2007-08-04|accessdate = 2007-08-05]

cientific reaction

On the prospect of the virus emanating from one of the Pirbright establishments, emeritus professor of bacteriology Hugh Pennington was quoted as saying, "If we know exactly where the virus has come from, and particularly if it's a vaccine type of virus, it's less likely to be a nasty virus."cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6931858.stm|title=Disease labs face safety inquiry|publisher=BBC News|date=2007-08-05|accessdate = 2007-08-05]

Dr King, a former head of molecular biology at the IAH, was quoted in The Times as saying "As far as I am concerned the authorities have failed to find any chink in the armoury of the establishment’s bio-security. What you are left with is human movement, which is not a matter for the institute, it’s a police matter. It’s very, very unlikely that it could be spread by accident. People do not spread the disease easily."cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2231397.ece|title=Fresh outbreak of virus suspected as scientists point to sabotage as cause|publisher=The Times|date=2007-08-10|accessdate = 2007-08-10]

Political reaction

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn returned to London early from their holidays, in a story broken by blind BBC News journalist Gary O'Donoghue. [citeweb|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1052864/Five-figure-payout-BBC-reporter-taken-TV-news-blind.html|title=Five-figure payout for BBC reporter taken off the TV news 'because he was blind'|publisher=Daily Mail|date=2008-09-07|accessdate=2008-09-07] Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs Elin Jones cut short her holiday to New Zealand, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6932239.stm|title=Abattoir lay-offs after outbreak|publisher=BBC News|date=2007-08-06|accessdate=2007-08-10] and opposition leader David Cameron also cancelled his holiday in Brittany. A COBRA meeting took place shortly before the official announcement, with the Prime Minister participating on a telephone link.

Investigation

A report into the outbreak was released on September 5. It reported that traces of the virus were found in a pipe at the Pirbright institute running from Merial to the government's treatment plant. It is thought that tree roots damaged the pipe allowing the virus to the surface. The report hypothesises that site workmen conveyed the virus to the Normandy farm en-route home from work. [ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/6979891.stm BBC News ]

An independent investigation carried out by Professor Brian Spratt found that due to the recognition that infected material could survive the initial citric acid disinfection stage within the Merial plant, the effluent system up to the final caustic soda treatment plant was considered by Defra inspectors to be within the scope of Category 4 containment, yet it appeared not to have been subject to regular inspection and there was evidence of leakage both from broken pipework and via unsealed, overflowing manholes –

In May 2008, the authority responsible for prosecuting - Surrey County Council - decided not to prosecute -

cquote|The county council's external legal advice is that a prosecution against either of the two laboratories at the centre of the outbreak is not possible. This was because:

Three Government-commissioned reports were unable to pinpoint the exact source of the outbreak

The council may not have been able to prove beyond doubt whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) licence conditions had been breached. This was particularly because the two laboratories shared the drainage systems under those conditions.|30px|30px|Surrey County Council| [http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/f0c6d16d6f3b90e58025729600555d88/e0ad4f5f95abd46380257458003a2189?OpenDocument "No prosecutions over Pirbright foot and mouth leak" 29 May 2008]

Media Reporting

On 4 August two journalists, Philip Hollis & James Purkiss, were charged by Surrey Police under Section 27 of the Animal Health Act with ignoring prohibitions and entering protected sites.

Surrey Police Assistant Chief Constable Mark Rowley said "So far, two photographers have been arrested for breaching cordons, despite the obvious need to protect the area and clear signs prohibiting entry. No members of the public have tried to get inside contaminated areas and unfortunately the only attempted breaches have been by some of the media." [http://www.surrey.police.uk/news_item.asp?area=12&itemID=8898&division= "Trading Standards and police warn people to respect Foot and Mouth restrictions"] – Surrey Police Dated 9 August 2007]

References

ee also

* 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis

External links

* [http://www.defra.gov.uk DEFRA (UK Government) Website]
* [http://www.thecattlesite.com/footandmouth/ News updates on the 2007 UK Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak]
* [http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/08/07/105708/foot-and-mouth-disease-farmers-weekly-interactives-special-report-on-the-outbreak-at-surrey.html 2007 Foot-and-Mouth Timeline, Maps and Images]


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