BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS - UK: (ENGLAND) SHEEP

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A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Thu 18 Mar 2010
Source: Farmers Guardian [edited]



Bovine TB found in sheep and wild boar
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Concerns that bTB [bovine tuberculosis] is becoming increasingly
prevalent in species other than cattle and badgers have been
heightened by the discovery of the disease in sheep and wild boar.

It has emerged that a flock of Lleyn sheep in Gloucestershire has
been placed under TB restriction.

Vets were alerted by chronic weight loss in 20 of 220 ewes and one
ram. Postmortem findings in 3 of the 6 sheep were consistent with TB
and _Mycobacterium bovis_ spoligotype 10, the predominant strain in
local cattle herds and wildlife, was subsequently isolated. Lesions
in these 3 sheep were 'extensive', a letter in the Veterinary Record reports.

A Defra spokesman said the movement restrictions would only be lifted
when Animal Health was confident that the flock is free from TB. He
said _M. bovis_ in sheep was 'considered rare'.

The Department has also revealed that 'lesions consistent with TB'
have been identified in a feral wild boar in the Ross-on-Wye area
during post-mortem examination by the Veterinary Laboratory Agency (VLA).

Defra figures show there were over 140 bTB cases identified in
individual animals other than cattle in 2009, including in 68
alpacas, 26 cats, 23 pigs, and 5 sheep. The true numbers are almost
certainly much higher as there is no active surveillance in non-bovine species.

Defra said most other species 'generally act only as spillover hosts'
from cattle and badgers with disease not sustained within populations
without an external source of infection.

National Sheep Association chief executive Peter Morris said cases in
sheep were 'not unexpected' and that the industry was not required to
take additional actions.

[Byline: Alistair Driver]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[In view of the rarity of clinical bTB in sheep and differential
diagnostic considerations, it has been found worthwhile to reproduce
the full text of the letter published in the Veterinary Record of 6
Mar 2010 (166:306):

_Mycobacterium bovis_ causing clinical disease in adult sheep
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I would like to report an outbreak of clinical tuberculosis (TB) in a
flock of Lleyn sheep in Gloucestershire.

Chronic weight loss in 20 of 220 ewes and one ram was investigated by
the flock's private veterinary surgeon. Field postmortem examinations
of 2 ewes revealed enlarged, abscessed, mediastinal lymph nodes, but
routine cultures remained sterile. Serological follow-up did not
reveal any evidence of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) [a rather common
ovine infection caused by _Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis_. -
Mod.AS] The absence of a diagnosis prompted the submission of 6 sheep
that had shown chronic weight loss to the Veterinary Laboratories
Agency (VLA) for postmortem examination.

Gross postmortem findings in 3 of the 6 sheep were consistent with TB
and _Mycobacterium bovis_ spoligotype 10 (the predominant strain of
the bacterium in local cattle herds and wildlife) was subsequently
isolated. Lesions in these 3 sheep were extensive and affected the
lungs, lymph nodes, and viscera.

Clinical signs and postmortem findings of TB in sheep may resemble
lesions of visceral CLA. Failure to demonstrate serological or
bacteriological evidence in cases of suspect CLA should trigger a
suspicion of possible TB. Colleagues are reminded that suspect cases
of TB detected in farm animals are notifiable to Animal Health. The
small number of previous incidents of _M. bovis_ infection in sheep
in Great Britain have been incidental findings at slaughter or at
postmortem examination, but have not been associated with clinical
signs. The VLA plans to provide more details of this incident in the
near future.

Guda van der Burgt
VLA - Luddington
Luddington, Stratford upon Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9SJ
UK


bTB can obviously infect also dairy sheep. It will be interesting to
note the response of public health authorities and the Food Standards
Agency in Britain to the described development and the continued
spread of _M. bovis_ within the UK animal domain. - Mod.AS]

[The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the UK is available at
. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
2009
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Bovine tuberculosis, human - UK: (England) 20090808.2815
Bovine tuberculosis - UK (05): (England) alpaca 20090730.2667
Bovine tuberculosis - UK (04): badger vaccination 20090707.2443
Bovine tuberculosis - UK (03): increased incidence 20090514.1809
Bovine tuberculosis - UK (02): (Wales) 20090323.1143
Tuberculosis, bovine - UK: (Wales) 20090107.0066
2008
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Bovine tuberculosis, feline - UK (02) 20081126.3722
Bovine tuberculosis - UK: increased incidence 20081123.3696
Bovine tuberculosis, domestic animals - UK (02) 20081112.3565
Bovine tuberculosis, domestic animals - UK 20081111.3551
Bovine tuberculosis, feline - UK 20081005.3141
Bovine tuberculosis, human, canine - UK: (England) (02) 20080927.3054
Bovine tuberculosis, human, canine - UK: (England) 20080903.2751
Bovine tuberculosis, caprine - UK: (Wales) 20080723.2229
2006
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Bovine tuberculosis, human - UK (England) (02) 20061015.2967
Bovine tuberculosis, human - UK (England) 20061009.2896
Tuberculosis, bovine, badgers - UK 20061005.2857
Tuberculosis, bovine - UK: badger vaccine trial 20060622.1724
2005
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Tuberculosis, bovine - UK (England) 20051209.3549
Tuberculosis, bovine, pigs - UK (England) 20050713.1996]
...................................arn/mj/dk

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