Factors associated with the introduction of classical swine fever virus into pig herds in the central area of the 1997/98 epidemic in the Netherlands

A matched case-control study of 135 infected and 99 uninfected pig herds from the central area of the 1997 to 1998 epidemic of classical swine fever (CSF) in The Netherlands was undertaken to identify factors associated with the introduction of the virus. The herds were matched on the basis of herd type and the shortest geographical distance between pairs of herds. Data on management, hygienic measures, experiences during the depopulation of an infected nearest neighbour, and the frequency of contact with professionals and other agencies were collected by means of a questionnaire taken by personal interview. There were no significant differences between the infected and uninfected herds in the median total number of contacts per year with professionals and other agencies either with or without contact with the pigs. On the basis of a multivariable analysis, five variables were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of infection: (1) the presence of commercial poultry on the premises; (2) visitors entering the pig units without wearing an overcoat or overalls and boots supplied by the farm; (3) the driver of the lorry transporting pigs for the Pig Welfare Disposal Scheme (PWDS) using his own boots instead of boots supplied by the farm; (4) herds of moderate size (500 to 1,000 animals) and very large herds (>7,000 animals) were at greater risk than small herds (<500 animals); and (5) an aerosol, produced during high-pressure cleaning of the electrocution equipment used to kill the pigs on a neighbouring infected herd less than 250 m away was carried by the wind on to the premises. Two variables were significantly associated with a decreased risk of CSFV-infection: (1) more than 30 years of experience in pig farming; and (2) additional cleaning of the lorries used to transport pigs for the PWDS before they were allowed on to the premises. In the opinion of the cooperating farmers, airborne transmission of the virus and its transmission during the depopulation of an infected neighbour were among the most important routes of infection

Rate of inter-herd transmission of classical swine fever virus by different types of contact during the 1997-8 epidemic in The Netherlands

In this study we quanti®ed the rate at which classical swine fever had been transmitted by several different types of inter-herd contact during the 1997±8 epidemic in The Netherlands. During that epidemic 428 CSFV-infected pig herds were detected, 403 of which were include in this study. The estimated rates of transmission were 0±065 per shipment of live pigs, 0±011 per contact by a pig transportation lorry, 0±0068 per person contact, 0±0007 per dose of semen, 0±0065 per contact with a potentially contaminated pig assembly point, 0±027 per week per infected herd within a radius of 500 metres and 0±0078 per week per infected herd at a distance between 500 and 1000 metres. These transmission rates can be used to optimize the strategy to stop future epidemics of CSF in The Netherlands. In addition, the analysis demonstrated in this paper, can be used to quantify CSFV transmission rates from other epidemics

Seroprevalence of bluetongue serotype 8 in cattle in the Netherlands in spring 2007, and its consequences

A cross-sectional study was carried out in spring 2007, at the end of the first bluetongue outbreak season, to determine the geographical spread of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) infection in cattle in the Netherlands and the consequences for some production parameters. Blood samples from cattle submitted to the laboratory of the Dutch Animal Health Service for other voluntary and obligatory health programmes were tested serologically for BTV-8. in total, 37,073 samples were tested and 659 (1.78 per cent) were seropositive. The samples came from 5436 herds, of which 45 per cent of herds had only one sample submitted from them. The prevalence was highest in the south of the country, where the outbreak had started, and decreased towards the north. in 340 herds more than 50 per cent of cattle were tested, of which 156 herds were located in infected compartments, and in 37 of these herds (10.9 per cent) at least one positive cow was detected. The average within-herd prevalence in the 37 herds was 39.3 per cent: 2.2 per cent in I I dairy herds, 68.4 per cent in 20 small-scale herds and 14 per cent in four suckler cow herds. The prevalence differed significantly between herd types but did not show a geographical trend. The average net return for milk production amounted to is an element of 2417/cow/year and it decreased significantly on average by is an element of 48/ cow/year in the bluetongue-infected dairy herds during the bluetongue period. on the small-scale farms, the incidence of mortality increased by 3.2 (95 per cent confidence interval [a] 1.2 to 9.1) times in the infected herds during the bluetongue period, but the voluntary culling rate decreased by a factor of 2.3 (95 per cent Cl 1.1 to 4.8)

A socio-psychological investigation into limitations and incentives concerning reporting a clinically suspect situation aimed at improving early detection of classical swine fever outbreaks

The aim of this study was to identify limitations and incentives in reporting clinically suspect situations, possibly caused by classical swine fever (CSF), to veterinary authorities with the ultimate aim to facilitate early detection of CSF outbreaks. Focus group sessions were held with policy makers from the veterinary authorities, and representatives of veterinary practitioners and pig farmer unions. Personal interviews with a small group of pig farmers and practitioners were held to check limitations raised and solutions proposed during the focus group sessions. An electronic questionnaire was mailed to pig farmers and practitioners to investigate perceptions and attitudes with respect to clinically suspect situations possibly caused by CSF. After triangulating the responses of veterinary authorities, veterinary practitioners and farmers, six themes emerged across all groups: (1) lack of knowledge on the early signs of CSF; (2) guilt, shame and prejudice; (3) negative opinion on control measures; (4) dissatisfaction with post-reporting procedures; (5) lack of trust in government bodies; (6) uncertainty and lack of transparency of reporting procedures. The following solutions to facilitate early detection of CSF were put forward: (a) development of a clinical decision-support system for vets and farmers, in order to get faster diagnosis and detection of CSF; (b) possibility to submit blood samples directly to the reference laboratory to exclude CSF in a clinical situation with non-specific clinical signs, without isolation of the farm and free of charge for the individual farmer; (c) decrease social and economic consequences of reporting CSF, for example by improving the public opinion on first reports; (d) better schooling of veterinary officers to deal with emotions and insecurity of farmers in the process after reporting; (e) better communication of rules and regulations, where to report, what will happen next; (f) up-to-date website with information and visual material of the clinical signs of CS

Risicobeoordeling schapenscheren en schapenwol voor mens en dier in de Nederlandse wolproductieketen

Het doel van dit onderzoek is een risicobeoordeling van de microbiologische risico's voor mens en dier van het schapenscheren, transport en het bewerken van schapenwol in de wolproductieketen in Nederland, inclusief de opties voor eventueel noodzakelijke risicoreducerende maatregelen. De VWA wilde de volgende vragen beantwoord hebben: 1. Welke microbiologische gevaren vormen in Nederland een risico voor infectie van en verspreiding onder mensen en dieren naar aanleiding van directe en indirecte contacten met het product wol in de wolproductieketen? 2. Kunt u deze microbiologische risico's in prioritaire volgorde plaatsen (kwalitatieve of indien mogelijk semikwantitatieve risicobeoordeling)? 3. Als er risico's aanwezig zijn, die op basis van een expertmening niet verwaarloosbaar klein zijn, welke risicoreducerende maatregelen kunnen mogelijk worden toegepast in de productieketen en op welk moment

A cross-sectional study to determine the seroprevalence of bluetongue virus serotype 8 in sheep and goats in 2006 and 2007 in the Netherlands

Background: In August 2006 a major epidemic of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV8) started off in North-West Europe. In the course of 2007 it became evident that BTV8 had survived the winter in North-West Europe, re-emerged and spread exponentially. Recently, the European Union decided to start vaccination against BTV8. In order to improve the understanding of the epidemiological situation, it was necessary to execute a cross-sectional serological study at the end of the BT vector season. Cattle were the target species for cross-sectional serological studies in Europe at the end of 2006 and 2007. However, there was no information on the BTV8- seroprevalence in sheep and goats. Results: On the basis of our cross-sectional study, the estimated seroprevalence of BTV8-exposed locations in the Netherlands in 2006 was 0% for goats (95% confidence interval: 0 ¿ 5.6%) and 7.0% for sheep (95% confidence interval: 3.5 ¿ 12.9%). The estimated seroprevalence of BTV-8 exposed locations in 2007 was 47% for goats (95% confidence interval: 36 ¿ 58%) and 70% for sheep (95% confidence interval: 63 ¿ 76%). There was a wide range in within-location seroprevalence in locations with goats and sheep (1 ¿ 100%). A gradient in seroprevalence was seen, with the highest level of seroprevalence in the southern Netherlands, the area where the epidemic started in 2006, and a decreasing seroprevalence when going in a northern direction. Conclusion: There is a much higher estimated seroprevalence of locations with goats exposed to BTV8 than can be inferred from the rather low number of reported clinical outbreaks in goats. This is probably due to the fact that clinical signs in infected goats are far less obvious than in sheep. The wide range in within-location seroprevalence observed means that the proportion of animals protected in 2008 by a natural infection in 2006 and/or 2007 can differ highly between flocks. This should be taken into account when vaccinating animals

Serosurveillance of wild deer and wild boar after the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in 2001

Blood samples from 140 wild deer and 208 wild boar shot in the aftermath of the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in 2001 were examined for antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus. They were all negativ